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Mental Health Matters

10 May 2020

Do you like to sun bathe?

Always good to ask a question and let that stew for a moment.

There has been a lot in the press recently about the need to be vigilant, in terms of good mental health.

The truth is that mental health matters, whether we are in lockdown, or not.

As adults, we are under a stress load all week when at work, whether that’s online or in person.

If we thrive on direct contact with people then an online life can be okay for a while, and yet we may find our core energy being slowly sapped.

If we love the variety of working life then lockdown ‘groundhog day’ feelings can set in.

Of course many people are on furlough and wondering if they will have a job to go back to. Others are doing their best to run businesses and adapt to unforeseen challenges and new ways of working.

Over time, even the best of us are likely to become tired, irritable and anxious. None of us are made of stone and we need to recognise that mental health is something for us all to take account of.

We can notice if there are signs of increasing fatigue, such as a slowing in our work rate, or having trouble getting started in the morning.

We can spot if amicable relationships suddenly feel tense and if we are getting a bit scratchy with people.

Are we unsettled? Finding it hard to put down our phone, or are listless and unable to settle to a task or hobby?

If we are then it’s time to press the pause button, take a step back and reflect.

If we don’t take care of ourselves then we may fall over.

Taking care doesn’t have to be difficult, or time consuming. Many people tune into Joe Wicks every morning for a 30 minute work out, or go for a walk, or a run.

This is great. Exercise and fresh air are an easy way to increase our resilience.

We can also go sun bathing. Obviously we need sun for that. However, there are times when doing nothing is the best thing we can do. Sitting in the sun and letting our thoughts drift gives us space and time to relax our over-worked brains.

A short nap can help too. All we need is 15 minutes. The same applies to meditation, or gentle yoga. We don’t have to bend our body into a pretzel; the gain in this context comes from gentle breathing exercises and allowing stillness to envelope us.

Whatever we like to do, the invitation here is to do nothing, in a pleasant and mindful way. That’s why I like sun bathing. It’s warm and peaceful and away from the stress of online activity.

I like yoga too, which is good for rainy days. I’m certainly no pretzel though, probably more of a bread roll, if I’m honest.

This week please take time to notice your own stress levels and how fatigued you are. What can you do to do nothing in a calm and constructive way?

Please look after your own mental health. It matters, it really does.

Keep well.