Did you know there’s a wide range of online health and wellbeing resources for you to access, download and share for free? We’ve listed just a few here to help get you feeling healthy, energised and happy.
Ways to get you moving
Running regularly can be a brilliant stress reliever and also help with symptoms of depression.1 Challenges such as ‘Couch to 5k’ are a great way to get you up from the sofa and out running within 9 weeks.
Research suggests that you are more likely to see exercise as ‘normal’ if colleagues, friends and family members are active too, so why not encourage each other and get moving together.2
Improve your quality of sleep
Poor quality sleep is closely linked to stress and other mental health problems such as anxiety and depression, and is one of the leading reasons why we don’t operate at our best.3
A sleep diary can be really useful to help you feel energised and mentally alert for the day. The app is free and you can also download a pdf version. It’s a great tool to help you understand where your sleep problems could lie and may help reveal patterns in your sleep when you have trouble sleeping well.
Get talking
There’s often a stigma around mental health but it’s really important to talk to others about both the good and the bad times. Getting involved and learning a bit more can make a big difference to how you manage your own mental health and support others. Here’s a link to the Time to Change campaign – this social movement provides a wealth of information and resources to help get you started.
Balance your diet for better energy
Did you know that eating a diet high in processed foods can increase the risk of depression? Eating a healthy and well balanced diet is intergral to having good energy levels. Try to avoid processed foods where possible and add fruit and vegetables to your everyday diet. For guidance on what’s best to put on your plate, take a look at The Eatwell Guide. Or for great food facts, sugar swaps and recipes why not visit the Change 4 life website.
To find out more about Sovereign Health Care and how our cash plans can help support your health and wellbeing, visit www.sovereignhealthcare.co.uk/personal
1 NHS
2 NICE