Making small changes to your lifestyle can have an impact on the way you think, feel and look.
Five ways to wellbeing
To improve your mental wellbeing practice these actions regularly:
Connect – with people around you, family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. At home, work, school or in your local community. Think of these as cornerstones of your life and invest time in developing them. Building these connections will support and enrich you every day.
Be active – go for a walk or run. Step outside. Get off the bus one stop earlier than usual. Cycle. Play a game. Dance. Exercising makes you feel good. Most importantly, discover a physical activity you enjoy; one that suits your level of mobility and fitness. Take a walk, go cycling or have a kick about in a local park. Find an activity that you enjoy and make it part of your life.
Take notice – put a plant on your desk. Notice the changing seasons. Take time to ‘clear the clutter’ from home or work. Be aware of the world around you and what you are feeling. Try visiting a new place. Take a different route to or from your work.
Keep learning – try something new. Rediscover an old interest. Sign up for that course. Take on a different responsibility at work. Fix a bike. Learn how to cook your favourite food. Set a challenge you will enjoy achieving. Learning new things can be fun and make you more confident.
Give – do something nice for a friend or a stranger. Volunteer your time for a cause you are passionate about. Spend time with someone who you know has been having a difficult time. Join a community group. Seeing yourself, and your happiness, linked to the wider community can be incredibly rewarding and will create connections with the people around you.
Also visit other information on five ways to wellbeing
Getting a good night’s sleep
Sleep is important for your health and wellbeing. Everyone has problems sleeping at one time or another. You may have difficulty sleeping, sleep too much or wake up tired. When you are worried about something, this can affect your sleeping pattern. People also worry about not getting enough sleep, which in turn leads to sleeplessness. In general, people tend to sleep for an average of eight hours although this does vary for everyone and can be between 5-10 hours.
Why is sleep important?
The main function of sleep is to rest and repair your body and mind and renew your energy. A lack of sleep affects your brain’s ability to function properly resulting in the effects of poor sleep, such as feeling tired, irritable and having difficulty in concentrating.
What affects sleep?
Remember to:
Eating healthily
Drink in moderation
Keep active
Avoid smoking