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Every mind matters - How to look after your wellbeing

News article

Publication date:

27 April 2020

Last updated:

18 December 2023

Author(s):

James Moorhouse

Details of the updated governmental COVID-19 mental health campaign.

According to government data, over four in five adults are worried about the effect that the coronavirus (COVID-19) is having on their life right now, with more than half saying it affected their wellbeing and nearly half reporting high levels of anxiety. Public Health England (PHE) launched the Every Mind Matters campaign back in October 2019, but have recently added new resources due to mental health concerns around COVID-19.

The additional material from Every Mind Matters has received support from their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, including their contributions to a new film in support of the campaign. These new resources include the following:

  • NHS advice on looking after mental wellbeing and how to support others during the current pandemic
  • a tailored COVID-19 Mind Plan
  • COVID-19 specific content for individuals and their loved ones
  • support for specific mental wellbeing issues (eg anxiety, stress, low mood and trouble sleeping)
  • signposted activities (eg mindful breathing exercises, help reframing unhelpful thoughts and muscle relaxation)

The NHS’s Top 5 Tips for maintaining mental wellbeing during the coronavirus outbreak are:

  1. Talk about your worries: it is normal to feel worried, scared or helpless about the current situation. Maintain contact with friends and family via phone and video calls to share how you are feeling.
  2. Keep a regular routine and set goals: you may need to set a new routine for now. Try writing a plan for your day with the things you can still do at home, such as watching a film, reading a book or completing a puzzle. Setting goals and achieving them gives a sense of control and purpose. Maintaining good-quality sleep makes a big difference to how you feel mentally and physically too, so it’s important to get enough.
  3. Manage your media and information intake: if 24-hour news and constant social media updates are making you worried, try to limit the time you spend watching, reading or listening to coverage of the outbreak to once or twice a day.
  4. Do things you enjoy and try something new: focusing on your favourite hobby, learning something new or simply taking time to relax indoors should give you some relief from anxious thoughts and feelings and can help boost your mood. Look online for free tutorials and courses.
  5. Look after your body: our physical health has a big impact on how we feel. At times like these it can be easy to fall into unhealthy patterns of behaviour that end up making you feel worse. Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, drink enough water and exercise regularly. You can leave your house, alone or with members of your household, for one form of exercise a day – like a walk, run or bike ride. But make sure you keep a safe 2-metre distance from others.

 

For more information, visit the Every Mind Matters website

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This document is believed to be accurate but is not intended as a basis of knowledge upon which advice can be given. Neither the author (personal or corporate), the CII group, local institute or Society, or any of the officers or employees of those organisations accept any responsibility for any loss occasioned to any person acting or refraining from action as a result of the data or opinions included in this material. Opinions expressed are those of the author or authors and not necessarily those of the CII group, local institutes, or Societies.