Updated on 12 August 2020
During the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, you might find it useful to consider the following five steps to improve your mental health and wellbeing, as recommended by the NHS.
Good relationships are important for your mental wellbeing as they can:
You might not be able to meet up with friends and family in the usual way at the moment but there are still things you can do to stay connected:
As lockdown restrictions are eased, the guidance for meeting up with people from other households is changing – you can get full details on the UK Government website.
Being active is not only great for your physical health and fitness, it can also improve your mental wellbeing by:
You should continue to do regular exercise at this time, if you’re well enough. This might include:
Research shows that learning new skills can improve your mental wellbeing by:
There are lots of different ways to bring learning into your life and set some new goals while you’re at home. You could:
Acts of giving and kindness are also known to help improve mental wellbeing by:
People who report a greater interest in helping others are more likely to rate themselves as happy. From small acts of kindness to more regular giving, such as volunteering, it’s vital that we show compassion to everyone affected by this unusual situation. You could try:
Being in the moment and being aware of your thoughts, your feelings, your body and the world around you can improve your mental wellbeing. Often called ‘mindfulness’, this can help you to understand yourself better, change the way you approach challenges and enjoy life more.
You could start by:
Useful websites
Read Good Thinking's articles about reducing stress, improving sleep, eating healthily, managing boredom and dealing with uncertainty. You might also find the workbooks by the Centre for Clinical Interventions useful.
