Good morning,
Last week I attended a 2 day Mental Health First Aider Course and I found it extremely interesting so my tip today is looking after your mental wellbeing. This is in two parts so there will be more next week.😀
Physical self-care
Get enough sleep and relaxation
Our mood and sleep are inextricably linked. Aim to go to bed at the same time each evening and try to be technology free at least 2 hours before bedtime. If that’s impossible for you, try to make it an hour. The blue light from mobile devices has been shown to impact the quality of sleep. If you are one of the majority who use a phone as your alarm, ensure notifications are switched off. iPhones, for example, have a Night Shift setting that subdues
brightness.
Try not to eat too late into the evening, optimally your last meal should be at least 3 hours before bedtime. It also makes sense to not be stimulated by caffeine and alcohol in the evening and a night-time routine can ease you into a better night’s sleep; a warm bath, relaxing music and reading are all activities that allow your body to wind down and make a good night’s sleep more likely.
Food equals mood
Support your body with nutritious foods and hydration. Too much food and/or processed food will not support your mood or your energy levels. Indulgence is fine as long as it isn’t every day. Save those treats for the weekend or when you can have a more
relaxed start on your days off. Instead of reaching for that sweet snack in the afternoon, take 5 minutes to simply focus on your breathing; it’s amazing how shallowly we breathe when we are busy. Just a few rounds of slower, longer breaths stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system which makes us feel calmer and more relaxed.
Let me know if any of this helps in any way 😁
As usual would love your thoughts. 😀
Have a good weekend.
Paula ❤️xx
