Three women walking next to each other. Two of the women are carrying water bottles and all of them are wearing exercise-style clothing. They are all smiling at the camera. In the background you can see a wall and some trees.

Our top tips to boost your health and wellbeing

The New Year is a good time to take a step back and think about our own health and wellbeing.

Lots of people make New Year’s resolutions to improve their health, but the pressure we put on ourselves can often mean that our resolutions don’t last long or might not be fully achievable. It can even put us off trying again in the future!
Improving our health doesn’t always mean having to make big changes. There are lots of small changes we can make that can lead to a big improvement in how we think and feel. We’ve pulled together a list of our top tips you can try to improve your health and wellbeing:

Exercise

Exercise has been proven to lower the risk of serious conditions such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes. It also benefits our mental health, too.
You don’t need to start big, it’s much better to start off small and build up your stamina. Remember, even if you only manage 5 minutes at first, that’s 5 minutes more than yesterday!
Walking is a great way to get started – visit our walk more page to read about the benefits and some tips to get you moving.

Mental Health

There are lots of things we can do to boost our mood, but sometimes you may need a bit of extra help. Remember, it’s okay not to be okay.
If your mental health is affecting your life, make an appointment with your GP or seek support from a mental health service. There are lots of organisations you can talk to, such as the Samaritans, Mind or SALOS. A full directory of mental health services can be found on our services page.
You are not alone and things can get better.

If you, or someone you know, is experiencing a mental health crisis, call 111 and select the mental health option (option 2). Available 24/7, it’s for all ages, including children and young people.

Improving your sleep

Some simple changes like creating a sleep routine or reducing screen time can really improve our sleep habits. You’ll feel the benefits of a good night sleep physically and mentally. If you’re having trouble sleeping, knowing how to sleep better can make a big difference. Visit our sleep well page for tips and advice on improving your sleep routine, as well as information about insomnia, how menopause affects sleep and helping children with their sleep routine.

Look after your mouth

You might not realise it, but looking after your oral health is really important for your overall health. Without good mouth hygiene, bacteria in our mouths can reach levels that might lead to infections, such as tooth decay and gum disease, which can be uncomfortable and costly if you pay for your dental treatment.

Poor mouth health will increase your risk of developing other serious health conditions such as heart disease or diabetes, and it will put you at greater risk of developing pneumonia, inflammation in the lung caused by an infection, especially if you are an older person living in a care home. Our Love your mouth page has lots of tips, advice and links to resources to help improve the oral health of you and your family.

Eat well

As the saying goes, we are what we eat! It’s much easier to change our habits over time than to go on an extreme diet or try a strict eating regime. Small changes such as eating more fruit and veg, reducing our sugar intake or cutting down on the amount of processed foods we eat are good places to start. You don’t have to be a whizz in the kitchen either! There are lots of simple recipes online, groups and courses that you might find helpful.
If you’re not sure what kind of foods you should be eating, the NHS has some great tips on their website.

Visit our Keep Well page for more information to help you stay healthy


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