Wellness BUPA leads the way

What is wellbeing?

Your wellbeing is about the quality of your life. Good wellbeing is more than just not having illness. It’s also about how happy and fulfilled you feel. But both your physical and mental health are part of your overall wellbeing.

Below are some of the things that can impact your wellbeing.

• Life satisfaction- how satisfied you are with your life.

• Happiness- how happy you are overall.

• Relationships- how happy you are with relationships, such as with your partner if you have one as well as friends, families, and neighbours.

• Your physical health – including how satisfied you are with your health and if you have any specific conditions.

• Your mental health – whether you generally have a positive state of mind.

• Mental health conditions – if you have conditions such as depression or anxiety. But your mental health can still affect your wellbeing even if you don’t have a condition.

How can I improve my wellbeing?

Your wellbeing is important to your daily life so it’s important to look after it. Here are some tips to help you improve your wellbeing.

Stay connected

Positive relationships can be key for good wellbeing. All kinds of relationships can affect our wellbeing, including family and partner relationships. Having positive relationships isn’t about having a wide circle of friends and family.

Having a few people to confide in can be better than having a large network of people you hardly chat to. Without healthy relationships you might experience loneliness and stress. So try to reach out to people you know you can trust and rely on. Being around people who support you can help you become happier.

If you want ways to be more connected, here are some ideas.

• Volunteering can be a rewarding experience and helps you to connect with other people.

• Think about your interests and if there’s a way to meet others with shared interests, for example if you enjoy reading you could join a book club.

• Make time to call or message your friends or family.

• Plan activities you could do with loved ones such as going to a museum, eating out, or visiting an amusement park.

Eat well

Eating a healthy and balanced diet is important. It can help you to maintain a healthy weight and may reduce your risk of diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Your diet can also affect your mood. Try to include the following in your diet for better mental health.

• Fruits and vegetables.

• Healthy protein sources such as eggs, lean meat, legumes, and dairy.

• Healthy fats such as olive oil, oily fish, and avocado.

• Fibre rich wholegrains.

• Fermented foods.

Try to reduce ultra processed foods, and processed meats. Studies suggest this type of diet is linked to a reduced risk of depression.

Keep moving

We know physical activity is important to stay healthy. Benefits of exercise include strengthening muscles and bones, improved energy levels, and better sleep. Exercise can also reduce your risk of developing conditions such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers.

Exercise helps to relieve stress. So, staying active is good for both our physical and mental wellbeing.

If you don’t exercise a lot, it’s never too late to start. You can start small, simply going for a brisk walk is a good way of staying active. You could try something relaxing like yoga. You might like to get family or friends involved or go to a class.

Sleep well

Sleep is important for your health. Many people don’t get the right amount of quality sleep. Good quality sleep is spending more time in deep sleep. This leaves you refreshed and helps your concentration and memory. Not getting enough sleep might make us less happy, as well as affecting attention and concentration. So being well rested is important for you to perform during your day. Some things that can help you get better sleep are:

• avoiding heavy meals, caffeine and alcohol within the three hours before bed. Alcohol may make you fall asleep fast but lowers your sleep quality. And caffeine is a stimulant that may keep you up.

• limiting screen time before bed, as the light from electronic devices can prevent your body from making melatonin. This is a natural chemical in your body that helps you to sleep.

• going to sleep at the same time each night and waking up the same time even on weekends.

Be mindful

Mindfulness is a technique where you become present in the moment without judgment. You observe your surroundings and how they look and feel. You could try a mindfulness course, but you can also practice on your own at any time of the day. For example:

• when eating noticing the taste or texture of food

• on your commute to work, noticing sounds and sights around you

• when folding laundry, noticing the fabrics of your clothes

You can find many other mindfulness exercises in our one month of mindfulness calendar.

Connect with nature

Getting outdoors not only provides you with fresh air but can also help your wellbeing. You could try gardening, visiting a park, or bird watching. Spending time in nature can have many benefits such as:

• reducing stress

• boosting your mood

• helping you sleep better

Learn new skills (card magic tricks is the key)

Consider trying something new. You could start playing an instrument or learning a new language. Taking up a hobby can have positive effects on your wellbeing such as building resistance and helping you flourish. It might also be a way to meet other people who have the same interest.