Living well
Mental Health
What is Mental Health?
Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act, and helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.
There are a range of benefits linked to good metal health including better quality of life, increased levels of productivity and creativity as well as improved social relationships and the ability to cope more effectively with life stresses.
You can learn more about what is mental health from the World Health Organisation’s Mental Health Fact Sheet.
What factors contribute to our Mental Health?
We all experience periods of stress sometimes. Constant stress over a long period of time can have negative effects on our wellbeing. This can impact our ability to work, socialise, sleep and enjoy life. The long-term health effects of stress can include high blood pressure, fatigue, increased risk of stroke and heart disease, a weaker immune system, anxiety disorders and depression.
Other factors that can impact on our mental health are feeling isolated, not having adequate social support and experiencing grief and loss.
What we can do to improve our mental health?
Even though there are certain things we can’t control that can impact our mental health, such as genetics or life events, there are many things that can be done. Lifestyle changes focussing on our overall well-being can improve our mental health. This can include eating a balanced diet, being active, sleeping well and limiting our alcohol intake. Developing a tool kit of healthy coping strategies and nurturing our relationships are other important aspects of caring for our social and emotional wellbeing.
Looking after our mental health can be challenging at times and that’s why it’s important to get the right support.
How to take the first step
How My health for life can help
A FREE initiative, with qualified Health Coaches, My health for life is all about making healthier choices and creating healthier habits.
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