Activate Therapy

Mental Health Wellbeing Boost

Good self care is a cornerstone of good mental health. The list below are just some of the things you can do to help you mentally feel your best. With good sleep, nutrition and exercise, you are more likely to feel better and this will help with how you respond to your environment and the people in it, and problem solve.

Each of the sections below are shown to have an impact on mental health. Over the next 6 weeks, try to see where you can make positive changes. Use the assessment forms to get ‘before’ and ‘after’ results. If you feel that changes are necessary in all of these areas, pick one that you believe will help you the most and then move on to make a change in one of the others. If after 6 weeks you notice a positive change, then you can work on improving in all areas. I, and the group are available to support.

1: Reduce technology use

  • Aim for no more than 2 hours a day, this includes the time you would spend answering messages.
  • Leave your phone in another room – especially at bed time.
  • Set screen time to help you set your limits.

2. Improve Sleep

  • No devices in the bedroom
  • Come off devices 90 minutes before bed
  • Stop caffeine at least 2 hours before bed
  • Avoid sugary or spicy food before bed, or eating a large meal
  • Go to bed and get up the same time each morning/night

3. Connection

  • Make time to talk
  • Sit and listen
  • Make plans with others

4. Diet

  • Increase fresh fruit and vegetables (tinned and frozen are also OK) to 5+ portions per day. A portion is a handful or the size of your fist. the more fibrous the fruit of veggies, the better ie blueberries, strawberries, apples, oranges etc.
  • Aim to reduce and stop consuming items that are pre-made or pre-prepared. The definition of an Ultra Process Food is a food containing any items you would not normally have in your kitchen cupboard.
  • Aim to reduce and stop any sweets and snacks (UPF’s)

5. Alcohol

The current government recommended weekly intake for alcohol is 0 units! This is a reduction from 14 units per week for women and 21 units per week for men. Aim to reduce your intake to your gender appropriate level or below. You could try non-alcoholic versions instead.

6. Movement

The current government recommended amount of exercise is 150 minutes per week. Which ever exercise you chose should increase your heart rate to the point where you can still hold a conversation in walk but would struggle in jog.