Our Top 2 Wellbeing Practices

This week it’s mental health awareness week across the UK, and in a time where it’s especially important to look after yourself and others too, we thought it might be helpful to share our top tips that can promote wellbeing and good mental health at home.

Kindness is the theme this year. Kindness strengthens relationships, develops community and deepens solidarity – It’s a cornerstone of our individual and collective mental health which is now more important than ever. Inspired by this, the following explores our two top wellbeing practices…

 

Getting back to nature

Spending time in green space or bringing nature into your everyday life can benefit both your mental and physical wellbeing. Doing things like growing food or flowers, going for a daily stroll or being around animals can have lots of positive effects. If you’re unable to get out of the house or have friends or relatives who can’t, bring nature inside to you or them – here are a few ideas from our Head Gardener, Wendy:

“Buy flowers or potted plants online for your home or go to your local garden centre to pick something up to leave on the doorstep for a loved one.

Whether you live in town or in the countryside you can gather the sounds of nature around you even with just the door or windows open – just sit and breathe it all in.

Create something small for your windowsill for bugs to live in, or get lost in your imagination whilst watching the sky and cloud formations from the window.

Grow vegetables, flowers or herbs on window sills – ones that grow well here are succulents, basil, parsley, thyme or cacti or simply purchase potted herbs and enjoy the greenery on your window sill, taking pleasure in picking them and utilising them in the kitchen whilst you cook.

If you are able to get out and about, there is little more relaxing than sitting in the open air, looking out across rolling green grass and flowers blowing in the breeze or hearing the song of birds and the rustle of leaves in the warm wind.”

Quite simply, whether you enjoy it inside or out, we believe that the quiet calm of nature can leave a quiet calm in your mind – Give it a try.

 

 

Self-care days

Being kind to yourself is a vital part of maintaining good health and a vibrant life. We are more resilient and more able to handle life’s stress when we are feeling our best both physically and emotionally and self-care days can really help with that. A massage, a soak in the bath or other forms of pampering can revitalise you inside and out. Our Head Therapist, Chloe talks about how taking time out to maintain your self-care has several benefits:

“While self-pampering doesn’t always lead to major improvements in overall health the way healthy diet and exercise do, the relaxation you get from it can trigger the relaxation response, which can prevent chronic stress from damaging your mental and physical health. A great everyday skin-care regime, a 10 minute nourishing facial once a week or a massage can work absolute miracles.

Having some time alone is important for most people’s functioning. When you’re relaxing by yourself, it’s much easier to slip into a state of quiet meditation, enjoy some self-reflection, or let your problems work themselves out in the back of your mind. Light some candles, immerse yourself in a hot bubble bath (I love to use Temple Spa’s ‘Drift Away’ bath oil for it’s relaxing scent and skin-revitalising properties) and simply switch off for 30 minutes all by yourself.

Simple yet so effective – caring for your tired feet. Aim to set aside one hour each week (or as often as you can) to properly treat them. Not only will you get softer, healthier feet, but it’s also incredibly relaxing – after all they carry us everyday through our lives, they deserve some attention don’t they? I’d personally recommend Temple Spa’s ‘Sole Balm’ treatment. A powerful blend of 22 essential oils will help alleviate tension and tiredness, and a plethora of botanicals including cocoa butter, honey, wheat germ plus oils of olive, soy and avocado deeply moisturise. Clever salicylic acid, papaya and pro-vitamin B5 gently nibble away dead skin cells, so those rough bits will get softer and softer, whilst peppermint oil and menthol gently soothe and cool. A spa pedicure right at home!”

In addition to pampering yourself, more substantial forms of self-care involving healthy lifestyle choices are important, too. Consuming a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, and being sure you get enough sleep are all important for long-term health and stress management as well.

If you’re finding things tough, try talking it out with someone and if you’re unable to do that, here’s some expert advice and practical tips to help you look after your mental health and wellbeing at home with ‘Every Mind Matters’ from the NHS.

• Every Mind Matters