10 ways to look after your mental health

Last week was Mental Health Awareness Week, organised and promoted by the Mental Health Foundation and supported by England Athletics.

This year’s theme was anxiety, and you can use the kit produced by the Mental Health Foundation to get involved to promote your club or running group's activities as a way to reduce anxiety and improve mental and physical well-being.

The aim of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week is to address anxiety as a public health issue, and promote ways to reduce anxiety in everyday life.  The kit contains lots of useful information and facts, can help you organise an event, do some fundraising and provides some pointers on how to look after the mental health of yourself or someone you know.

10 ways to look after your mental health

Perhaps the kit can inspire with fun, practical and original ideas to help you care for yourself or raise awareness during Mental Health Awareness Week

1. Keep active: Take on one of the challenges at www.mentalhealth.org.uk/get-involved or find something local to take part in. If running is your thing, look for local runs, or find a group at www.runengland.org/groups
2. Talk: Hold a Tea & Talk! Get together with friends, family or colleagues and have a good old natter!
3. Eat well: Organise a Come Dine with Me dinner challenge, a smoothie sale, or Bake Off at work
4. Drink sensibly: Replace alcohol with your favourite juices to create exciting and healthy non-alcoholic Mocktails!
5. Keep in touch with friends and loved ones: a dinner party, BBQ or picnic
6. Ask for help: Don’t go it alone - create an awareness raising committee, or learn a technique called mindfulness to help yourself cope.
7. Take a break: Kick back, relax and enjoy a pamper party. Combine a longer break with a unique and challenging experience by joining one of the Mental Health Foundation's overseas treks!
8. Doing something you’re good at: Why not organise a small class to share your skills and teach other people how to do it?
9. Accept who you are: Be true to yourself, make sure you feel comfortable with your plans and set yourself realistic goals.
10. Care for others: Ask friends and family to donate to the MHF instead of buying you gifts, or run an Auction of promises.

There's lots more info on each of these points in the kit:

Click here to download a PDF of the document.