The World Health Organisation recognises World Mental Health Day on 10 October each year. The theme for this year, set by the World Federation for Mental Health, is ‘Mental health is a universal human right‘.
For over 70 years, the Federation has been working to make sure that mental health is treated equally with physical health. Mental health problems exist in our lives, families, workplaces and communities, affecting everyone.
We must do as much as possible to prevent mental ill-health, as individuals and as a society. We must continue to call on national and local governments to prioritise reducing the factors known to pose a risk to people’s mental health, enhancing those known to protect it and creating the conditions needed for people to thrive.
World Mental Health Day is also a chance to talk about mental health in general, how we need to look after it, and how important it is to talk about things and get help if you are struggling.
Protect your mental health
There are many ways we can protect our mental health. Doing simple activities each day that make us feel better, enable us to find it easier to cope with everyday stressors in life.
The Mental Health Foundation has given us some tips, backed by evidence from research, in how to help us look after our mental health.
Get closer to nature – Nature can have a calming effect on us.
We all live with worries and fears, uncertainties, losses that leave us sad and pressures that make us feel stressed. The research found that going for a walk was the UK adults’ favourite way of coping with stress during the pandemic in 2020.
Try practising mindfulness while in a forest setting. Take time to notice different smells, sounds and textures. What can you see? Are there any animals, different types or plants or trees? Take a deep breath and see how you feel.
Understand and manage your feelings
Feeling very upset can interfere with our lives, making it hard to think clearly or concentrate on anything such as work, studying, sleeping and even relaxing.
Many of us will know when we’re upset but not be sure what we’re feeling or why we are feeling that way. Is it sadness, fear, shame, loneliness, anger or something else?
Try giving your feelings some attention without judgement, take time and do not put yourself down for feeling upset. Think about what led you to feel this way? Give yourself some kind reassurance, it can be very comforting.
Sometimes writing down your feelings using a notebook or your phone can help. There are apps which provide daily check ins so that you can think about how you are feeling.
Talk to someone for support
Many of us bottle things up inside and attempt to ignore painful feelings. It can take a lot of courage to tell someone else how we’re feeling or what we’re finding hard, especially if we don’t usually do that kind of thing.
Just talking things through with a person we trust can help and feel like a relief. This can make you feel safer and less alone and help to protect your mental health. Talking may also change how you see and feel about the situation in ways you find helpful.
If you do not feel you have anyone that you can talk to but want to reach out to someone for a confidential talk for support, you can contact one of our mental health first aiders click here.
There is also an employee assistance programme available to all colleagues, UK based colleagues should click here to find out more. For colleagues based outside of the UK, please visit www.guidanceresources.com and register using CARNIVALEAP as the organisation ID when prompted.
Get more from your sleep
If you have struggled with sleep, you will know how much of an impact that can have on your ability to cope with day to day living. For many people, sleep is often the first thing that suffers when we’re struggling with our mental health.
If you’re struggling with your sleep, think about making a few simple changes such as:
- Develop a relaxing bedtime routine to help you start winding down before you actually go to sleep.
- Try to stick to going to bed and getting up around the same time every day.
- Things to avoid close to bed time include screens such as TVs, computers and mobile devices, alcohol and caffeine and vigorous exercise.
Be aware of using drugs and/or alcohol to cope with difficult feelings
Many of us sometimes use drugs or alcohol to block out “difficult” feelings such as sadness, fear or shame. This can offer temporary relief but unfortunately, they don’t stop the feelings from returning and may make things worse or create other problems, including damage to mental and physical health, relationships, work, or study.
Try to eat healthy food
Food and drink affect our bodies, brains and mood – for good or bad. Sugary snacks and drinks can give us a temporary “high” or sense of comfort that can feel irresistible. But they soon leave us feeling exhausted or jittery. Caffeine in coffee, tea, or so-called energy drinks can also have this effect.
A balanced diet with lots of vegetables and fruit is essential for good physical and mental health.
Food can also get mixed up with our feelings. Some people binge eat while others may lose their appetite and not want to eat at all when they are upset. It may help to talk to someone we trust and get professional support if we need it.
Move your body
Our bodies and minds are connected, so looking after ourselves physically also helps us prevent problems with our mental health (it works the other way around, too).
If you don’t like going to the gym or doing sports, try moving by gardening or cleaning. I like to do workout videos in my living room following videos on YouTube. Exercise releases “feel good” hormones that reduce feelings of stress and anger. It also helps us feel better about our bodies. It can improve our sleep too.
Plan things to look forward to
Life throws all sorts at us, and during hard times, we may feel hopeless and not have the energy to plan for the future. Having planned things to look forward to can help us cope with difficult situations.
Simple plans such as having a cup of tea or taking a quiet bath to trips out with friends and family or a nice holiday are all things to look forward to.