De-stress and be happy

Hints and tips on how to reduce the stress in your life and improve your state of mind

Half a dozen quick tips and tricks for beating stress

1. Talk about it
Expressing how you feel is an important part of staying mentally healthy. Talk to friends or family if you can, or ask your GP about counselling.

2. Learn to relax
Not as easy as it sounds. Real relaxation isn’t just flopping on the sofa in front of the TV, it’s about really taking time out by emptying your mind. Yoga or meditation can help.

3. Exercise
Any exercise that gets your heart pumping and your body moving will keep you feeling good. Exercise stimulates the release of endorphins, your body’s own “feel good” chemicals.

4. Look after yourself
If life feels too stressful look at what you can cut out. If you’re taking on too much for other people, start saying no.

5. Get enough sleep
Some people need eight or nine hours, others survive on less, but you’ll know if you’re getting enough. If you’re tired, decisions feel harder and you’re more likely to feel anxious or stressed.

6. Eat Well
What you eat makes a difference to how you feel. Researchers have found that cutting down on sugar, alcohol and caffeine can improve your mood and so can drinking more water, eating more fruit and veg, oily fish, nuts and seeds, such as pumpkin and sunflower.

Research has shown that you can improve your mental health with these simple self-help steps.

• Stay physically active. It helps to combat depression
• Eat well. A poor diet can really affect your mental health
• Drink in moderation only — alcohol can make you feel worse
• Pamper yourself and take care over your appearance
• Talk about your feelings
• Keep in touch with friends and family
• Get involved with others — volunteering can be uplifting
• Learn a new skill. It will boost your confidence
• Join a self-help group. It can help you feel less isolated
• Ask your GP for help

Live well, live happier
Making changes to the way you live can help you protect your mental well-being. “The role of medical help and medicines to treat depression can be overplayed. Often it’s the common sense measures that people can take to improve their lives that tend to be effective,” says Dr David Whitwell, a former consultant psychiatrist.