Five Ways to Christmas Wellbeing
27th November 2018
By SAMH Fundraiser, Kris Kelly.
Almost a third of people with mental health problems feel unable to cope at Christmas.[1] Which is understandable with the extra pressure and worry at this time of year; so it’s more important than ever that we all look after our mental wellbeing. This can be difficult with the hustle and bustle of the festive season.
To help us remember to take time out over the festive session I’d encourage you to join me in using SAMH’s Five Ways to Better Mental Health - with a Christmas twist.
Get Active
Why not schedule in a walk on Christmas day on your own or with all the family? This can help us have a quiet 30 minutes in a busy day to reflect.
Take Notice
With so much going on it is important we appreciate what’s happening now, and not dwell on the past or worry about the future. Why not put a mindfulness book on your Christmas list? It can be a great way to de-stress and train our brain to be in the moment.
Learn
Learning can be fun, and also increase our confidence. So take time out to read a book, learn how to use a new gadget or sign up for a class in the New Year.
Give
It feels rewarding to give so why not use some of your time off to volunteer for a cause you feel passionate about. It’s been proven that an act of kindness boosts your mood and increases your wellbeing.
Stay connected
Christmas can be a particularly lonely time, so it's important to stay in touch with friends and family, especially if you're feeling down. Even if it's just having a chat over a cuppa, talking can help lift your mood.
Staying connected may seem easy with social media and new technology, but these connections aren’t as good as meeting face to face or having a long chat. Try to make a phone call rather than email or text, and meet up with that friend you haven't seen in a while. You’ll share a lot more than you would over social media and talking can be a good way to tackle a problem you've been carrying around.
And if you know someone who might be lonely or on their own over Christmas why not spend some time with them?
What ever you do over the festive period I hope you have some time with the ones you love and a very mentally healthy 2019.
[1] http://www.mind.org.uk/news-campaigns/news/mind-finds-one-in-ten-feels-unable-to-cope-at-christmas/#.WFpY1lOLSUk
