Some words of advice from our Branch Health and Safety Officer, Michelle. Its common sense really – but sometimes sense is not that common.
Christmas can be a really stressful time of year, whether you live with a mental health problem or not. There’s pressure to socialise with friends and family, more temptation to overindulge in food and drink and of course the financial strain that presents and celebrations can put on your bank balance. Below we’ve got some tips on managing your mental health at Christmas, and some ideas for staying well over the festive period.
Although alcohol can initially make you feel more relaxed, it’s important to remember that it’s a depressive and drinking too much can make you feel irritable, aggressive and low. Staying within the recommended limits will also mean you’re much less likely to end up with a hangover!
There’s a tendency to over indulge at Christmas, and there are always lots of tempting treats lying around. But it’s really important to maintain a healthy diet as this will help you maintain a stable mood, and should help prevent irritability and mood slumps.
Over the festive period, lots of us find that our sleep patterns become disrupted. We often stay up later than usual, and don’t always catch up on the sleep that we’ve missed. There’s lot of evidence to suggest that not having enough sleep has a negative impact on your mental health, so if possible, do try and head to bed at your usual time every night. It’s also worth remembering that drinking alcohol can have an effect on the quality of your sleep – yet another reason not to drink excessively.