This Time to Talk Day 2020 we are taking a moment to think about wellbeing and the stigma around talking about mental health problems, which affect one in four of us, yet too many people are made to feel afraid and ashamed to speak out and open up. Time to Talk Day encourages everyone to be more open about mental health. Our wonderful charity partner, Mind, believe that no one should have to face a mental health problem alone. They provide advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. They campaign to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding. None of this would be possible without their wonderful supporters who take on extraordinary challenges on behalf of Mind to raise funds for this worthy cause, from hiking to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro to running marathons or tackling the UK Three Peaks!

At Choose a Challenge we encourage you to get outdoors, connect with other people and build relationships, be physically active, enjoy being in the great outdoors, being more mindful of your surroundings and paying attention to the here and now. To escape the every day stresses of daily life, discover a new destination and throw yourself into something new whilst also raising funds for a worthy cause and helping others - these are all important steps that evidence suggests are ways to improve your mental health and wellbeing.

Here are some of our methods to increase positivity and help you get the most out of life:

EXERCISE

Evidence shows that exercise can improve your mental wellbeing, with your body releasing endorphins which trigger a positive feeling in the body.

Exercise can help reduce anxiety, lift your mood and give you a great self-esteem boost, but you don’t have to spend your life in the gym to reap the benefits! Find a form of exercise you love, be it yoga, walking, swimming, cycling, running or workouts you can do from the comfort of your home - discover activities you love and try and incorporate them into your everyday life.

Exercise will also help to improve your sleep quality and give you confidence, so you are more productive at work - just another bonus!

SPENDING TIME WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY

It sounds simple, but this is one of the most effective ways to unwind and de-stress after a tough day and boost your happiness. Activities with friends and time spent with loved ones will help you relax and, most importantly, laugh! Laughter releases endorphins, decreases blood pressure and even improves your immune system, relieves pain and, of course, improves your mood.

Sharing problems with friends and family will also help reduce your mental wellbeing, they will be able to offer you advice and solutions and reassure you that you are not alone. So make plans, reconnect with old friends, have lunch with a colleague or visit your family - being around the people you love will be sure to improve your mood.

MINDFULNESS

Mindfulness meditation helps you feel calmer, and therefore less stressed, become more self-aware, cope with anxiety and difficult thoughts and bring you a sense of peace, so you don’t spend your time worrying about past or future events and just focus on the here and now.

It helps you to better handle your emotions and negative feelings and increases activity in the area of the brain associated with positive emotion. You don’t have to be an expert, or spiritual, to practice mindfulness, you just need to be able to take time for yourself to focus on your breathing and your body.

You can learn all about how to practice mindfulness, and if it’s right for you, from the charity Mind, here.

HELPING OTHERS

Evidence shows that people who help others, be it through activities such as volunteering, community work or challenge events, have reduced stress levels and become more resilient. When you focus your attention on the needs of others, it will improve your physically wellness. The more you give, the happier you will feel, and in helping others you will also help yourself.

Even small acts of kindness throughout the day can help boost your mood, from holding a door open for someone, offering friends or colleagues a small treat or surprise or just committing your time to someone, and offering them your support. These little things go a long way to improving your well-being and helping others, be it loved ones, strangers or a charity, will give you immense satisfaction.

CHALLENGING YOURSELF

Creating goals and aspirations helps to improve your mindset and make you feel more positive about the future. Setting yourself new challenges, be it a new hobby, a fitness goal, learning something new or taking on a fundraising event, helps build confidence and gives you something to focus on.

It also adds something exciting to plan towards and spend your time on, rather than just watching TV, and will leave you feeling excited and motivated.

A BALANCED DIET

Diet can sometimes be overlooked when discussing ways to improve your mental wellbeing, but it’s certainly a very important factor to consider.

A healthy diet builds the foundation for your body, so it’s important to make time to create a healthy meal plan and get plenty of Omega 3s and vitamin E into your diet to improve blood flow which, in turn, reduces stress. Salmon, tuna, spinach, avocados, squash, sunflowers seeds and broccoli all contain powerful antioxidants that help protect cells from oxidative stress.

There is plenty of advice, diet plans and recipes to be found on the internet to kick start your healthy lifestyle and give you inspiration for healthy meal ideas.

CUT OUT STRESS TRIGGERS

A simple way to reduce the anxiety and stresses of every day life is to cut out anything which could make you feel even more anxious. Digital devices, and our technology addiction, is known to cause stress. Try and reduce the time you spend on your phone and laptop in the evenings, come off social media and stop using your technology before bed.

Using your phone or laptop at night restrains melatonin, the hormone controlling your sleep/wake cycle, which means you will have an interrupted sleep and keeps your brain alert so you aren’t able to switch off properly. Try and put your phone away at least an hour before bed so you can relax, unwind and have a good sleep.

Drinking alcohol, too much caffeine and watching the news have also been proven to make you feel more anxious, so reducing these triggers will be a big help.

EXPRESS GRATITUDE

Think of all the things you are thankful for and the good things in your life that make you happy. Focusing on the positives and the things that bring you joy can help create a sense of balance and give your thinking a more positive target, meaning you will feel happier and less anxious as your negative thoughts will be overshadowed by these positive ones.

A good idea would be to make a gratitude journal and write something in it each day, even the smallest of things like the sun shining, seeing friends that day or a funny memory can be great things to jot down and remind yourself of when you’re feeling anxious or depressed.

TAKE A YOGA CLASS

In a recent national survey, over 85% of people who did yoga stated that it helped them reduce stress and anxiety. As we’ve mentioned, exercise is a great way to help improve your mental wellbeing but yoga, in particular, is one of the best forms of stress-relieving exercise as it connects your body and mind to achieve a sense of peace.

There are many different forms of yoga but the key focuses are the same: poses, breathing, relaxation and meditation, which all combine to help you feel calm and stress-free.

If you can’t join a local class, there are many videos and online classes available so you can enjoy yoga at home, from 7-minute calming practices to longer, full body, anxiety reducing sessions.

HAVE A HUG

Sounds pretty simple, doesn’t it? It has been proven that physical touch helps improve mood, alleviate feelings of loneliness and reduces stress, so a hug from a loved one can be hugely beneficial.

When you give someone a hug or kiss, the chemical Oxytocin is released, which increases higher levels of happiness. The same chemical, known as “the cuddle hormone” is also released with you interact with pets, so spending time with your favourite four legged friend will help improve your mood.

Having a pet also helps with depression and anxiety as it gives you a sense of purpose and provides you with companionship. Plus, taking your dog out for walks gives you the exercise you need to improve your mood too!

We know that everyone is different and it may take time for you to find the right practices for you to improve your mental health and wellbeing, but we hope these tips will help you manage and reduce the stresses and anxieties of every day life. Remember, it’s okay to speak up and reach out for support when you need it and, if you have tried other approaches and mindfulness methods but still feel anxious or depressed, then do contact your doctor who will be able to offer further advice and treatments, or get in touch with the lovely team at Mind for further support.