How do I look after my mental health during lockdown?

Answer:

Coronavirus has affected all aspect of our lives and the pandemic can feel scary and unfamiliar.  It is essential that we stay at home, maintain social distancing and self-isolate, so that we can stop the spread of COVID-19. However, the constant stream of information and the drastic changes to our lives can begin to have an impact on our mental health.

Here are some tips to help you a little during the pandemic:

Practise self-care:

Looking after yourself is vital to maintain good mental health. Eat healthily, exercise, sleep for 8 hours a day, drink lots of water and try and create a routine for yourself.

Exercise if you can:

Exercising can really boost your mood. Build physical activity into your daily routine. Exercising at home can be simple and there are options for most people.

Here are some examples:

·         cleaning your home

·         dancing to music

·         going up and down your stairs

·         online exercise workouts that you can follow

Keep in touch with others digitally.

Make plans to video chat with people or groups you would normally see in person.

 

You can find helplines for mental health here.