We all have mental health and, just like our physical health, it goes up and down.
When we feel stressed, anxious, low or have trouble sleeping, there are simple actions we can take to manage these feelings, and prevent them from becoming more serious.
Public Health England have put together the Every Mind Matters interactive video guide which provides expert advice and practical tips to help you start taking care of your mental health.
Strengthening your mental health:
- Understand that, just like physical health, it’s important not to wait until you’re suffering before you decide to look after your mental health. Just as our bodies need exercise to stay healthy, our minds need regular attention too. If you take care of your mind, you will be able to more easily process your thoughts during challenging times in your life, and will recover from them mentally a whole lot faster than you otherwise would.
- Spend 10 minutes working through the interactive Every Mind Matters video to determine which tools you need to equip yourself with. For example if you are stressed you might schedule time to regularly list the good things in your life, to reflect on things that have gone well, and the things you’re thankful for. If you have trouble sleeping you might schedule time to make sure you have a dark, quiet and cool environment every night before you go to bed.
- Create your personal action plan. Plan the time you’re going to spend on your mental health in advance. You’re much more likely to stick to a plan if you allocate specific time slots that are realistic for you. Eventually this will become part of your natural routine, like brushing your teeth!
Once you’ve created your mental health action plan and followed it for a month, reflect on how you’re feeling and if you’d like to adapt your routine slightly to see how it affects you – for example meditating in the morning instead of the evening. Experiment to find what feels good for you!
