Just as we all have physical health; we all have mental health too. Through the course of our lives, we might find our mental health fluctuates. A number of factors can impact our mental wellbeing which makes it important to lead a balanced life and to be proactive when it comes to supporting our minds.

It is important to recognise when you need additional support and to contact your GP if you are struggling with your mental health.

Take 5 Steps to Wellbeing

The Take 5 model is all about taking action and making conscious and deliberate choices to look after our wellbeing. Evidence indicates a person who practises all five steps as part of their daily routine will feel higher levels of wellbeing.

Step 1: Connect

Social relationships are important to support wellbeing and to act as a buffer against mental ill health. Connecting and interacting with others can have a positive benefit to wellbeing

Connect North is a directory of services that links peoples to supports and initiatives in their local community.

Step 2: Keep learning

Don’t be afraid to try something new; rediscover an old hobby or sign up for a course. Try some DIY, learn to play an instrument or how to cook your favourite food. Learning new things will make you more confident, as well as being fun to do.

Libraries NI hosts regular events and opportunities for learning. You can also use their free Libby app to take your reading on the go!

Step 3: Be active

Research shows a strong correlation between physical activity and increased wellbeing, as well as lower rates of depression and anxiety. It is essential for people of all ages and has been shown to slow age-related cognitive decline.

There are lots of walking groups that take place weekly as well as local Parkruns to get involved in.

Step 4: Take notice

Stop, pause or take a moment to look around you. What can you see, feel, smell or even taste? Look for beautiful, new, unusual or extraordinary things in your everyday life and think about how that makes you feel.

The Calm and Headspace apps have mindful practices to help you get started on your mindful journey.

Step 5: Give

Do something nice for a friend or stranger, thank someone, smile, volunteer your time or consider joining 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.

Find local volunteer opportunities or look for ways to spread kindness with daily prompts.

Sleep

Sleep and rest are hugely important to your physical and mental health.

On average, adults need 7 to 9 hours sleep per night.

The most common cause of not getting enough sleep is your sleep routine. Here are some tips to support you:

• Regulate your sleep pattern – One of the best ways to train your body to sleep well is to go to bed and get up at the same time every day.
• Sleep when sleepy – Only try to sleep when you feel tired or sleepy rather than spending too much time awake in bed.
• Get up and then try again – If you haven’t been able to get to sleep after about 20 minutes, get up and do something calming until you feel sleepy before returning to bed.
• Avoid caffeine and nicotine – It is best to avoid consuming caffeine eight hours prior to bedtime or nicotine, for at least four to six hours before going to bed.
• Avoid alcohol – Especially a few hours before bedtime. Although alcohol may help you fall over to sleep, it actually causes fragmented sleep.
• Reduce stimuli – Avoid using your bedroom for anything other than sleeping so that your brain associates bed with sleep.
• Create sleep rituals– Helpful tips include relaxing techniques, guided meditation or breathing exercises.
• Bath before bed – Having a hot bath 1-2 hours before bedtime. Research indicates that sleepiness is associated with a drop in body temperature.
• Keep a sleep diary – Record a sleep diary for two weeks to get an idea of your sleep pattern.
• Food intake – An empty stomach at bedtime maybe distracting so it can be useful to have a light, healthy snack before bedtime. Heavy meals are not recommended.
• The right space – It is very important that your bedroom is quiet and comfortable for sleeping. A cooler room, with enough blankets to stay warm is best; an excessively hot or cold room can disturb sleep.
• Daytime routine – Maintain the same time you go to bed and rise in the morning every day.

Get sleep tips sent straight to your inbox.

Managing stress

Stress isn’t always a negative thing. There is good stress and bad stress. Good stress motivates us and allows us to get things done whereas bad stress can feel overwhelming and lead to anxiety and exhaustion.

There are many things that can help you cope with stressful events and deal with feelings of stress or burnout.

• Monitor your stress – Try to identify what is causing your stress. Journaling can help with this process.
• Plan ahead – If you have a stressful day or week coming up, plan ahead. This can make you feel prepared and better able to cope.
• Breakdown tasks – If a task seems overwhelming, try breaking it down into smaller parts.
• Focus on what you can control – Focus on things you can control, rather than things you cannot control. This is an important part of finding a solution.
• Practice gratitude – Take time to think about the good things in your life. Each day, think about what went well and write down 3 things you’re grateful for.
• Talk – Telling a trusted person how you are feeling can help to make things clearer for you.
• Breathing exercises – Breathwork can anchor us in stressful times.

Find upcoming dates for the free online stress control programme.

Boost your mood

There are many ways to boost your mood and get more enjoyment out of life.

• Eat well – Have a varied and balanced diet. Diets high in processed foods, sugar and saturated food can have a negative impact on mood.
• Keep as active as possible – Hormones called endorphins are released when we exercise and these energise and lift our mood.
• Use alcohol sensibly – Alcohol can be a depressant.
• Get out in nature – Regular contact with nature is linked to lower levels of depression, anxiety, and improved self-esteem.
• Limit screentime – High daily use is associated with reduced wellbeing.
• Listen to music – Create a playlist of songs that you enjoy for when you are feeling low.
• Get creative – Creative activities can boost your mood. For example, writing, cooking, painting, sewing, photography or playing an instrument.

Useful resources

Northern Trust Recovery College
Self-help toolkit
Steps to deal with stress
Samaritans
HSC NI app finder
Directory of Services
Aware NI
Take 5
Mind Your Head
PHA – Directory of services to help improve mental health and emotional wellbeing
Community Wellbeing NI – limiting your screentime