Looking After Your Mental Health

Physical activity has significant benefits to both our mental and physical health at any age. In children and young people, physical activity is linked to many factors that promote better mental health, including improved sleep, higher self-esteem and self-confidence, reduced anxiety and lower depression.

Becoming more active while spending time with others can also help us build social networks, reducing isolation and loneliness. You could:

• Join one of 60 walks across Buckinghamshire in our Simply Walks scheme. Trained volunteer leaders will help you walk at your own pace, with no need to worry about being left behind.
• Download the Love Exploring app. The app offers free games and guided trails suitable for all ages, including families, with quizzes that get the user hunting for clues as they explore the local area, parks and green spaces.
• You can also earn rewards for keeping active by downloading the free Better Points App. You can earn BetterPoints and prizes for:
  • taking the bus
  • walking or running
  • wheeling
  • cycling
  • visiting a leisure centre
  • attending health and wellbeing events

A strong bond between a baby and their mother, father or caregiver can have immediate and long-term consequences for positive mental wellbeing. A secure emotional bond is built on reliability and warmth - so as a parent it is important to play with, talk to, and cuddle your baby. Reading to your child regularly has been shown to have emotional benefits for both the child and their parent, and the benefits are greater, the more often you read together.

Advice and support are available to parents via the Buckinghamshire Family Information Service.

Your local library has a good range of books suitable for your to enjoy with your child from birth. Many libraries also offer Bounce & Rhyme sessions for parents with babies and young children which are a good opportunity to meet other families with young children, enjoy music together and pick up a book to share at the same time.

For more ideas and information about talking to and reading with your baby, which also helps them learn to talk, see Learning to talk 0 to 6 months - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

We should limit the amount of alcohol we drink. Drinking too much alcohol is bad for both our physical and mental health. Some people may drink in order to relieve the symptoms of mental ill-health such as anxiety or depression. However, evidence suggests that regularly drinking too much alcohol – including binge drinking – actually has the opposite effect, causing feelings of depression. Guidance from Chief Medical Officers is available at: UK Chief Medical Officers’ Low Risk Drinking Guidelines.

Support to cut down on alcohol is available to everyone who lives in Buckinghamshire via the Be Healthy Bucks free health and wellbeing service.

Our mental health can be supported by having a strong social network, known as “social connectedness”. This includes having a common bond and closeness with others, a shared sense of identity, feeling cared for and accepted.

Having support from family and friends is important to the mental health of both children and adults. Making time for each other, sharing our feelings and offering friendship and support can improve wellbeing and mental health.

Mental health conditions are common but many people don’t feel comfortable talking about their mental health. There is often a stigma associated with mental health conditions and people can fear being shunned by their family or society if they admit to struggling with their mental health. As a society we need to encourage open conversations about mental health, sharing the message that everyone can be affected and emphasising the importance of promoting our mental health and seeking support. There are local campaigns that aim to address this stigma that you can support. And we can reduce loneliness and increase our social network through participation in social activities such as joining group activities or volunteering. Activities that engage with arts and music have been proven to be particularly beneficial to mental health.

Having a good diet is likely to help our mental health and wellbeing. This includes eating lots of fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, a moderate amount of poultry, eggs and dairy and occasional red meat. A healthy diet has been associated with a lower risk of depression. Unfortunately, the relationship between diet and mental health is not simple as some physical health conditions that are linked to a poor diet (such as diabetes and obesity) are associated with worse mental health. When our mood is low, we are experiencing stress, or are low on sleep, we might also turn to “comfort foods”.

Support to be a healthier weight is available to everyone who lives in Buckinghamshire via the Be Healthy Bucks free health and wellbeing service.

The internet and social media can be both positive and negative. For example, many children and young people regularly search online for advice and information, and often say they would like to be able to access digital support for their mental health alongside traditional face to face services. The rise of the internet has, however, led to cyberbullying and the potential for children to be exposed to inappropriate or harmful content. The amount of time that children spend using screens (including television) also has the potential to displace other activities that protect wellbeing, such as sleep and physical activity

Parents might find it useful to consider the advice from the UK Chief Medical Officers on children and young people’s screen and social media use. While aimed at children and young people, adults might find much of this advice helpful.