It is important that we keep ourselves mentally well. Whether you are feeling down, struggling with stress, feeling worried, or just want to maintain good mental health, there are a range of things you can do to boost your wellbeing.
Here are some top tips from the Talking Therapies teams in Doncaster, Rotherham and North Lincs:
Connect with other people
We all feel better for connecting with someone, whether that is a day out with friends, spending time with family or catching up with a colleague on your lunchbreak. Being around people and having conversations or sharing experiences gives us a feeling of belonging and self-worth. Here are a few ideas on how you could connect with others:
- Put aside some time in the day to be with your family, for example, all sitting down to eat dinner together
- Get a date in your diary to catch up with a friend
- Switch watching the TV for playing a game with your children, friends or family
- Volunteer for a charity
- Use video calls to keep in touch with long-distance friends and family
Mindfulness and breathing exercises
Have a go at our ‘box breathing’ or ‘4 breathing’ technique. It can help reduce feelings of stress, tension, anxiety and panic, or just bring a moment of calm to a busy day.
- Get comfortable and breathe in for four seconds
- Hold that breath for four seconds
- Breathe all the way out over four seconds, then wait for four seconds
- Breathe in again for four seconds, and repeat the process for as long as you need to
Alternatively, why not have a go at mindfulness? It can be something as simple as going for a walk and noticing the small details around you, such as the patterns on the leaves on the trees or the birds singing.
You’ll experience more of the benefits of practicing mindfulness or breathing exercises the more regularly you do them.
Exercise
You don’t have to go out and run a marathon to experience the benefits of exercise for your mental health.
From chair yoga to jogging, swimming to having a stroll, any type of exercise can help to release those feel good chemicals in your brain. The most important thing is to find a type of movement that you enjoy, so you’re more likely to continue doing it.
Keep learning
It’s been proven that learning a new skill can improve your mental wellbeing by:
- giving you a confidence boost
- raising your self-esteem
- connecting with others while doing so
- finding a sense of purpose
Why not try learning a new language or sport, picking up a new arts and crafts hobby or working on a DIY project to finally fix that broken fence/bike/gate/shelf? It could even be something as simple as cooking a new recipe for dinner.
Take time out to relax
We know that this might be easier said than done, given that many of us live busy lives, but even just taking an hour to yourself to unwind can have huge benefits. You could:
- have a bath using your favourite toiletries
- watch your favourite TV show
- listen to your favourite music
We understand that not all of these tips will be easy to try or practice, especially if you are struggling with your mental health. If you are struggling with symptoms of stress, depression or anxiety, please get in touch with your local Talking Therapies team and self-refer for free, confidential support.
10 Stress Busters which has ten top tips to address stress.
Wellbeing audio guides that are easy listening to help you through when you’re experiencing anxiety or low mood.
Breathing exercises that can help you to take a mindful moment. Follow the steps to reduce feelings of stress, anxiety or panic.
Depression decision aid booklet that can help you to work through your possible treatment options.