Children’s Mental Health Week – Let’s Connect

Relax and reduce stress

Many people deal with stress every day. Work, family issues, health concerns, and financial obligations are parts of everyday life that we all experience, and can commonly contribute to heightened stress levels.

Some stress is normal, but if it’s becoming a problem and you need help, it’s important to know how and where to find it.

There are many ways to help reduce stress, but physical activity and moving your body on a consistent basis is a big step in helping to make a positive effect on how you feel.

Taking a walk, for example, is a simple activity that is accessible to all and everyone can enjoy.

Being outside in the fresh air and spending time in the nearly Spring-like sunshine we’re having, is sure to give your mood a boost!

Find ways to learn and be creative

Everyone – adults and children alike – has a creative streak.

For too many of us, it lies dormant even though it can be awakened with the simplest of acts. Tapping into your thoughts, dreams, and imagination is the first step to finding your inner creativity.

Creativity can come in all shapes and sizes and it’s not all about grabbing a paintbrush and becoming the next Van Gough, it can be simple things like writing a list, coming up with some new ideas, cooking, or writing a poem and journalling.

The key is to give yourself the freedom to unlock all your creativity and not put pressure on getting it right first time. Try different things, experiment, and don’t give up. It’s in there somewhere!

Spend time in nature

Spending time in green spaces or bringing nature into your everyday life, can benefit both your mental and physical well-being.

For example, doing things like growing food or flowers, looking after an indoor house plant, exercising outdoors, or being around animals, can have lots of positive effects.

When it comes to connecting with nature and the environment, being able to switch off and immerse yourself in your surroundings and being able to stimulate your senses, can help you switch off and unwind and re-balance your mind.

Spending as little as 10 minutes of some alone time outside i.e. listening to bird song or admiring a nice view, can instantly give your mood a boost and switch off all that internal noise!

Connect with others

Social connection can have a big effect on boosting your mood and helping to manage your emotions.

Through the years, we’ve thrived as a species by connecting with others. Whether we were hunting for meat, gathering berries, or fulfilling a role in the local community— we did it together in social groups by supporting and helping each other overcome adversity.

Human connection is essential for our survival, it’s as simple as that.

For most of us, juggling work and life, it’s very easy to feel disconnected from others, and finding the time for yourself can feel like a pipe dream.

However, simple things like reaching out to a friend we haven’t spoken to for a while, or having a random hug with our nearest and dearest, can really boost our spirits.

Look after your physical health

It’s no surprise that taking care of your physical health is good for your mental health.

The mind and body interact and influence one another in complex ways and one can very much have a big impact on the other. Get it wrong and it’s quite hard to break that cycle!

Regular physical activity has many benefits as it helps builds a strong heart, bones, and healthy muscles and can help promote our mental well-being.

When we exercise, we produce endorphin which affects the brain and helps improve our mood, and reduces stress and anxiety.

Physical illness can make managing your mental well-being more difficult. Stress, lack of energy, poor sleep, and other problems can also take a toll on how you feel mentally.

Start improving your physical health such as taking regular exercise, getting good quality sleep, resting when you need it, and generally being mindful of the foods you eat and leading a healthy lifestyle, will mean you will start to improve the quality of your mental health.