It's World Mental Health Day, and this year it comes at a time when our daily lives have gone through some pretty big changes as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The past months have thrown up challenges that we’d never think we’d have to face, lockdown and the months since have had an impact on us all, and as such we believe prioritising mental health has never been more important.
That’s why we wanted to spread a little positive change in amongst all the uncertainty and upheaval, with our hashtag #LoveMyBoody campaign. We wanted to invite you all to invest some time, even just an extra 15 minutes a day, in yourself and your mental health. Doing things that help calm your mind, that bring you a little extra joy, anything really that puts you and your health at the top of the list.
So what is mental health?
Mental health is just like our physical health: everybody has it and we all need to take care of it. It’s all about how we as people, think, feel and behave. Some people like to describe it as emotional health, well-being and being able to cope with everyday stressors, and it’s just as important as good physical health.
Taking care of your mental health
It is important to take care of yourself and to safeguard your mental health. Here are a few ideas to help maintain or improve your mental, emotional and overall well-being.
1. Talking – Talking can be a great way to ease your mind and lighten the load you may be carrying, whether that’s spending time with friends and having a good heart to heart, or talking to a professional.
2. Eating Well – Food is vital for energy and vitality, with our body and brain needing a range of nutrients and vitamins to function at its best. Why not take the time this weekend to cook yourself a slap up nutritious, tasty meal?
3. Getting your sweat on – You’ve heard it before, but physical exercise is a huge factor in positive mental health, it’s all the endorphins! The chemicals released into the brain through exercise can boost self-esteem, aid our ability to get a better night’s sleep, while also giving us a sense of achievement. So, we know that at the start of a workout you might not be feeling it – we’ve been here too, don’t worry – but after, that feeling, it’s worth it, right?!
4. Ask for help – Above all else if you really feeling like you’re struggling, reach out. We’d like to think that we’re superhuman, but we’re not, we only have the ability to take so much. It doesn’t make you weak, or less of a person, in fact it’s incredibly brave. Embracing your vulnerability isn’t easy, defying stigmas even harder, but your health is worth it, you’re worth it.
5. Taking time for yourself – in our busy worlds it can be hard to carve out time just for yourself. But self-care is so important and the real beauty of self-care – that it means different things to everybody. Just as everybody is unique, so is our self-care rituals and practises.
This is where you come in, we would love to hear what you do as part of your self-care routine. We would love you to share your practises with us, using the hashtag #LoveMyBoody – it’s that simple! Just grab your Boody, take some time for yourself and tag us! If you tag us you’ll also be in with a chance to win £50 Boody voucher!
If you do feel like you need extra support and don’t know where to turn, here are a few resources that may help:
https://www.bacp.co.uk/search/Therapists
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/your-mental-health/getting-help
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