This year has been a challenging year, and as we approach the festive season we want to remind you about the importance of Mental Health and wellbeing, especially during the lead-up to Christmas. In this blog, we share thoughts on some useful tips that can help.
Christmas can be a time of fun, happiness, and family gatherings, however, for some, it can also be a time of loneliness, anxiety and stress. With the recent COVID-19 government restrictions and changes to our normal festive routines, mental health and wellbeing can worsen for some for various different reasons. We want to raise the importance of this and ways in which you can practice self-care and wellbeing.
Here are some top tips :
- Mindfulness and wellness apps – There are many apps available that can help with meditation and self-care such as Headspace, Calm, Silvercloud, and Streaks. Take a break out of your festive schedule and spend some time meditating and focusing on self-care rituals
- Workout – Regular exercise improves mental health by reducing anxiety, depression, and negative mood and by improving self-esteem and cognitive function. Whether you go for a walk, a run, play sports or workout at home regular exercise is recommended during this festive season. There are many workout apps you can use to improve your motivation, Couch to 5K has been one of our favourites
- Listen to powerful TED Talks – There is a wealth of information available by TED talks on the topic of mental health, accessing these can help change your mindset and behaviour towards nurturing your mental health. Access here
- Get creative with cooking or baking – Cooking or baking can help with patience, mindfulness, and a way for creative expression. This also helps to increase self-esteem as it brings out feelings of positivity and an act of giving to your family, loved ones, or yourself. During this festive season why not get creative with your food or baking, such as decorating cookies
- Watch a comedy – Laughter can help tackle anxiety and depression as it releases a happy hormone. Why not watch a classic Christmas comedy, some of our favorites are Home Alone, Bad Santa and Jingle All The Way
- Be creative – Spend time being creative and make your own Christmas presents and decorations. This is also a great way to be sustainable by recycling and renewing old things and help the planet
- Read a book – Reading helps you relax and stay calm and sleep better. Therefore, immerse yourself in a book that you can’t put down. If you are feeling festive why not read ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens
- Talk to other people – Talking to others can help take a load off your shoulders and help provide you with support. Remember you are not alone, there are many people who will be going through the same anxiety and stresses during this Christmas period, therefore speaking out can help.
- Manage relationships and expectations – It’s always difficult to manage relationships and expectations during this time. Planning ahead, communicating, and setting boundaries can help. Empower yourself to be you and practice ways in which you can end difficult conversations.
- Get support – If you are struggling this Christmas, there is a lot of support available. See full list of support lines on NHS’s website here