Every Mind Matters to West Berkshire

Now, more than ever, Every Mind Matters. Mental health directly affects our overall health and wellbeing, impacting our quality of life. There are lots of different factors that can cause mental health problems, although different people may be more deeply affected by certain things than others.

But we don't need to wait until we are struggling with our mental health; there are lots of things we can do to protect ourselves and prevent problems escalating.

We want everyone to be more aware of their mental health and want to help you to discover simple steps to look after your mental wellbeing. That's why we're promoting the NHS Better Health 'Every Mind Matters' campaign to all residents in West Berkshire. 

The Every Mind Matters website provides a range of useful resources, practical self-care tips and guidance, and information about where to seek further support should you need it. The site also has advice for helping others who may be struggling with their mental health, although you can find some information on the West Berkshire Directory.
 

NHS Your Mind Plan

The NHS Your Mind Plan quiz helps you to create a personalised action plan that gives you simple steps and practical advice that you can build into your daily routines. These simple steps can help you cope with life's ups and downs and to get more out of life, whether you're coping with stress and anxiety, need to boost your mood, improve your sleep or feel more in control.
 

Top tips for mental wellbeing

With many people feeling worried, anxious or isolated, Every Mind Matters highlights that there are lots of things we can all do to look after our mental wellbeing and help others, to prevent these concerns from becoming more serious.

Below, we've listed our five top tips for maintaining mental wellbeing:

1. Talk about your worries: it is normal to feel worried, scared or helpless, especially about the current difficulties many of us are facing. Try to maintain contact with friends and family via phone, video calls or in person to share how you are feeling.
    
2. Keep a regular routine and set goals: setting goals and achieving them can give you a sense of control and purpose, so try writing a plan for each day. Maintaining good-quality sleep also 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 the news 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 should give you some relief from anxious thoughts and feelings and can help boost your mood.
    
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.

It's important that you take care of your mind as well as your body and to get further support if you need it. We're in this together.