Top Tips for Good Mental Health

1. Get Plenty of Sleep

Sleep is essential for our mental and physical wellbeing. To ensure you are getting the optimum 8hrs sleep every night, consider:

• Creating a Sleep-Inducing Bedroom

An essential element to help fall asleep quickly and easily is to make your bedroom a place of comfort and relaxation. The best way to do this is to use a high-performance mattress and pillows, and to choose quality bedding. In addition to your bedding, it is also important to avoid disruption from light or noise, and to keep the bedroom temperature at approximately 65 degrees. Finding a calming scent such as lavender may also induce easier sleeping.

• Optimising Your Sleep Schedule

Set a fixed wake-up and bedtime, giving yourself extra time before bed to wind down and get ready for sleep. If you require a nap during the day, the best time is shortly after lunch in the early afternoon, and the best nap length is approx. 20 minutes.

• Crafting a Pre-Bedtime Routine

As much as possible, try to create a consistent routine that you follow each night because this helps reinforce healthy habits and signals to mind and body that bedtime is approaching. Ideally, take 30 minutes before bed to wind down, lower the lights, and disconnect from electronic devices.

If you find it hard to fall asleep, and have spent around 20 minutes in bed without being able to fall asleep, get out of bed and do something relaxing in low light before returning to your room.

Visit the Sleep Foundation for more helpful tips and tricks on better sleeping!

2. Eat Well

Eating well isn't just important for our bodies, but it's also important for our minds. Certain mineral deficiencies, such as iron and vitamin B12 deficiencies, can put us in a low mood.

You should try to eat a balanced diet, and look to sites such as BBC Good Food for healthy ideas and recipes.

3. Get Plenty of Sunlight

Sunlight is a great source of vitamin D which is essential for our bodies and our brains.

Vitamin D helps our brains to release chemicals which improve our mood such as endorphins and serotonin. Getting between 30mins and 2hrs of sunlight a day is the sweet spot!

4. Manage Stress

If you're stressed in either your personal or work life, the first step to feeling better is to identify the cause. The worst thing you could do is turn to something unhealthy to help you cope.

Often if you break down your worries and stresses and write them down, you realise that they are manageable. It may help to prioritise your to-do list by ticking off the most important items first, which will naturally help you to organise your time effectively.

To combat feelings of stress or worry, try some relaxation techniques such as deep breathing exercises, body stretching, and meditation or mindfulness.

More NHS stress busting ideas can be found here.

5. Exercise

Being active not only gives you a sense of achievement, but it boosts the chemicals in your brain that help put you in a good mood. Exercising can help eliminate low mood, anxiety, stress and feeling tired and lazy.

All types of exercise are valuable, but getting outside or exercising in groups can be of particular benefit to your mental wellbeing.

The NHS website has a wealth of fitness guides including Couch to 5K, and home exercise plans. Alternatively, contact your local leisure centre or sports club to see what’s available in your local community.

6. Connect and be Social

Make an effort to maintain good relationships and talk to people whenever you get the chance.

If connection is something you struggle with, consider joining a new club or getting involved in a hobby.

Talk to strangers to practice your social skills – people love to chat!

7. Do Something for Others

Helping others isn't just good for the people you're helping; it's good for you too.

Helping someone can help with your self-esteem and make you feel good about your place in the world. Feeling as though you're part of a community is a really important for your mental health.

Consider volunteering, donating to a local charity, giving blood at your local blood donation centre, or simply be proactive in offering kindness. One act of random kindness a day will do wonders for your mental wellbeing.

8. Avoid Alcohol, Smoking, and Drugs

Combating unhealthy habits can be extremely difficult but the benefits to your general health and mental wellbeing are worth it.

If you need help, the NHS website has lots of useful advice to stop smoking, for drug addiction, and on alcohol support.

9. Ask for Help

One of the most important ways to keep yourself mentally healthy is to recognise when you're not feeling good, and to know when to ask for help.

There's no shame in asking someone for support if you're feeling low or stressed.

Everyone goes through patches where they don't feel as good as they should. You can try speaking to your friends, your family, the GP, or a helpline such as Lifeline.