GUIDE TO WELL BEINGS (very low response )

Positive Mental Health

Making lifestyle adjustments can have a huge impact on our mental and physical health. To improve wellbeing consider the importance of:

A balanced diet

A balanced diet - containing the right amounts of carbohydrates, ‘good’ fats and proteins as well as vitamins, minerals and trace elements. Remember to include at least 5 portions of fresh fruit or vegetables in your diet each day.

For a balanced diet aim to include: high fibre foods; plenty of fresh fruit & vegetables; foods low in saturated fat; low in salt and low in refined sugars.

Remember to drink 8 glasses of water a day and consume alcohol in moderation.

Managing stress

Identifying coping strategies and learning to wind down.

• Relaxation techniques;
• Exercise;
• Taking time out;
• Breathing exercises;
• Distraction techniques.

Good sleep patterns

To restore body and mind. Adults should aim for 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep every night. Make your bedroom your haven; have a set routine; avoid alcohol and caffeine before bed.

• Your bedroom should be
• Light
• Spacious and airy
• With minimal clutter

Regular exercise

Aim for 30 minutes of moderate exercise; 5 times a week. Physical exercise helps to improve body physique and can help to lift mood.

Physical health and mental health are intimately intertwined, and so it is difficult to have one without the other. Our bodies were never designed to live sedentary lives. We should all be aiming to spend more time on the move.

I know what you’re thinking… ‘When do I get the time?’. Well, the good news is that all it takes, to start with, is a commitment to incorporate more activity into your daily routine.

Simple steps

The secret is to introduce change gradually. This could mean you commit to getting off the bus a few stops earlier and walking the rest of the way. It is recommended that you should take 10,000 steps a day, but you can take it steadily and work up to this.

Ways to incorporate activity into your day:

1. Take the stairs at work, rather than the lift.
2. Have a ‘kick about’ with mates at lunch times.
3. Doing a spot of gardening at the weekends.
4. Take time out to play - take the kids for a run about in the park.
5. Put on your favourite music and dance!
6. Take up swimming classes, join a gym or fit club.

Keep the mind active

Maintain your zest for life and rise to the challenge.

When was the last time you tried something new? Something that you could immerse yourself in and that challenged you?

Taking up a challenge is about keeping the mind active during every stage of life. Learning isn’t exclusively for the young, it’s a life long process. No matter what your stage of life, there are always new opportunities and challenges to be had.

If you feel anxious about trying something new, introduce new hobbies & interests gradually to help you adjust.

What about trying:
Voluntary work; learning Spanish; Salsa classes; belly dancing; Tae chi; acting classes?

Brain gym. Keep your mind active by doing teatime puzzles; crosswords; word searches; sudoku.

A positive outlook

1. Learn to think positively
2. Encourage positive emotions
3. Embrace hope
4. Humour.

Positive Self Talk

The way that you talk to yourself impacts on your mental health.

We all talk to our self; all of the time, in our mind as we narrate our life and talk over the day’s events. People who are depressed or low in mood tend to make thinking errors and present situations in a negative light. For example they might say things like “I’m useless” and “I’m hopeless”.

These negative thinking processes have an affect on a persons feelings and consequently an individual may adapt their behaviours and avoid situations that evoke these thoughts and feelings.

Learning to challenge negative thoughts by analysing how you think, and the thinking errors that you are making is a way to break the cycle. This is how Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) works - you learn how to recognise negative thought processes, and challenge these with more positive, realistic ones.

Positive affirmations

All too often we focus on the negative aspects of life, losing sight of the positive things that make life enjoyable. Positive affirmations are a useful way to put a positive spin on difficult situations. Affirmations are short sentences that you repeat whenever positive thinking is needed. They can help you to relax. Say them out loud or to yourself every time you are thinking about an issue that worries you

Understanding yourself

• Who are you?
• What do you believe?
• What are your hopes and dreams?
• What are the true attributes of a full and meaningful life for you?
• What are the personal and spiritual dimensions of your life?

Spirituality

Spirituality is “a core set of beliefs and experiences about our relationship to the universe and our place within it. It is common to all of us but personal to each and as such does not lend itself readily to scientific enquiry”

(Lea, 2004).

‘… Within the demand for a more holistic approach to mental health as a whole, a belief system that takes into account the spiritual side of oneself clearly has a lot to offer some people’

Good One