Your wellbeing

Eating a well-balanced diet and looking after yourself can lift your mood, as well as giving you more energy. If you’re an anxious or stressed person, cut down on your caffeine intake. And don’t forget breakfast is the most important meal of the day!

Being active is proven to lift your mood as your body releases mood-boosting chemicals to your brain. It also gives you something to focus your mind on. You don’t need to run a marathon – just a short walk may help! It can also help you get a good night’s sleep, which leads us on to…

Sleep is really important, and a lack of it can contribute towards quite a few problems. While we sleep, our bodies regulate the chemicals in our brains that transmit information, which manages our moods and emotions. Try to get eight hours each night – you’ll feel refreshed in the morning and ready to take on the day!

You may be finding the simplest day-to-day tasks unmanageable, so setting small and achievable goals – such as getting out of bed or having a shower – can benefit your mental health and help you stay productive. Increase your goals when you feel you can, but remember to not push too hard or put too much pressure on yourself.

Go out, spend time with friends and enjoy yourself, but we suggest keeping alcohol use to a minimum – and try to avoid other drugs as they’ll only aggravate the problem. Although alcohol and drugs may give you a boost or relax you at the time, it’s worth thinking about the long-term effects, too.