While the end of the year is a chance to relax and catch up with family and friends, the holidays can be a difficult time for many healthcare workers. With the long hours, demanding workloads and lack of time to rest, it can be hard to manage and keep your mental health in check. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Here are 5 ways to look after your mental health during the festive period.

Connecting with Family and Friends

As the festive season can be a stressful time, it’s important to connect with friends and family to lift your mood. If you feel like you’ve become distant from loved ones, make an effort to meet up with them. This can be as simple as having a drink with friends after work, or meeting up with family members over the festive period. If you work shifts, or you work with people who you don’t know very well, go out of your way to speak to colleagues and get to know them better. Talking regularly to family and friends can also help you open up and share your feelings, as well as receive support from loved ones.

Taking Time Out to Relax

Taking time out to relax is another great way to look after your mental health during the festive period. This can be as simple as taking a walk in nature, enjoying a hot bath or sleeping for longer. While it may seem like there are not enough hours in the day to complete all of your daily tasks and meet work deadlines, it’s essential to take time out to relax. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed, taking a break can help. Spending just a few minutes taking time out to relax can help to reduce feelings of stress, as well as boost your energy levels. Taking time out to relax is a great way to look after your mental health, as well as reduce feelings of stress and anxiety.

Benefits of Yoga and Mindfulness

Yoga is a great way to look after your mental health during the festive period. This can be practised indoors or outdoors and can help to reduce feelings of anxiety and increase feelings of well-being. Regularly practising yoga has been shown to have a number of benefits for mental health. This includes reducing stress and anxiety, improving your mood and increasing feelings of relaxation. When practising yoga, remember to stay mindful by focusing on your breathing and being present in the moment. Research suggests that practising mindfulness can also have a positive effect on mental health, particularly during the festive period.

Practising Self-Care

Self-care is another important way to look after your mental health during the festive period, as it prevents you from getting overwhelmed and burnt out. This can include practising healthy eating habits, getting plenty of sleep, regular exercise and taking time out to do something you enjoy. Practising self-care regularly throughout the year is important, but it’s particularly beneficial during the festive period. When work is busy and stressful, it’s easy to become overloaded and neglect your mental health. Regularly taking time out to look after yourself will help to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety, as well as prevent feelings of burnout. This can be challenging when you’re busy, but it’s important to make time for self-care.

Ask for help

It’s important to ask for help during the festive period, if you’re feeling overwhelmed or experiencing mental health difficulties. You can ask a colleague or friend to help you with tasks, or speak to a manager about your workload. If you’re experiencing difficult feelings such as anxiety or depression, it’s important to speak to someone about your mental health. Although you may feel like you have to push on, it’s important to ask for help when you need it. There are many different ways to look after your mental health during the festive period. From connecting with loved ones, taking time out to relax, practising yoga and mindfulness, to regularly engaging in self-care, there are many ways to look after your mental health.