Mental health affects all of us and it is often overlooked or not taken as seriously as our physical health. This week is Mental Health Awareness Week, a chance to raise awareness of how mental health can affect our wellbeing and ways we can improve it to live a healthier life. 

Everyone’s mental health is different and so everyone’s experiences will be different. There’s lots of ways to improve our mental health but it’s important to continue having open and honest conversations about mental health and wellbeing. 

We’ve put together some simple ways that you can help look after your mental health. 

Hobbies: 

Engaging with your hobbies can help boost self-esteem and reduce stress, they help you relax and unwind from your day. It allows your body to relax, increasing your overall mood. Taking time out to engage with one of your hobbies daily will help improve your mental health. 

Mindfulness: 

Did you know that mindfulness helps you become more aware of your feelings, making it easier to manage them? Mindfulness takes your focus to the present moment and away from other thoughts. Oxford Mindfullness provides free sessions every week for you to practice mindfulness. Click here to visit their website to find out more – https://www.oxfordmindfulness.org/free-online-mindfulness-course-sessions/ 

Technology: 

Studies have shown a concerning link between high use of social media and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Taking regular breaks from using social media can help with your overall feelings of anxiety and depression. However, technology isn’t all that bad with apps like Headspace (https://www.headspace.com/) and Mindshift (https://www.anxietycanada.com/resources/mindshift-cbt/) providing free resources to help you ease your anxiety to improve your mental health. 

We hope that these tips will help improve your mental health. We are always here if you need a helping hand. If you are worried and need advice, please contact us so we can work together to get you back on your feet! 

You can also access free counselling wellbeing sessions with our Live Well tenant fund, to find out how you can refer yourself visit Live Well here.