Mindfulness and wellbeing activities

Modern life can be frenetic and it’s all too easy to rush headlong through your day without really taking much notice of the world around you.

It has been shown that taking time out to be ‘present’ in a moment – noticing the birds singing, really tasting the food you’re eating or stopping to think about how you are feeling today – can improve your mental wellbeing.

This ‘mindfulness’ can help us to feel less stressed, enjoy life more and understand ourselves better.

Often when you are focusing on a task or exercise you find your mind is able to relax and switch off. Below you will find lots of activities to help you be more mindful. Try them all and see which works for you.

Cooking

Cooking provides a great opportunity to be present in the moment, aware of your body and senses and to think about the food that you eat.

Baking

The concentration and physical work in baking – weighing ingredients, mixing, tasting, smelling – means that you focus on the present, free your mind from other worries and are entirely mindful of the present moment.

The act of baking for someone else and sharing your goodies is also good for wellbeing.

If you’ve never exercised before, or it’s been a significant amount of time since you’ve attempted any physical activity or if you have health concerns such as limited mobility, heart disease, asthma, diabetes, or high blood pressure, talk with your doctor before you start to exercise.

Yoga

Yoga does more than burning calories and strengthening muscles, it is a workout which involves both body and mind. It has a wide range of benefits including:

• Improves posture

• Increases flexibility

• Builds muscle strength

• Boosts metabolism

• Helps in lowering blood sugar

• Increases blood flow

• Increases self-esteem

• Improves lung function

• Helps you sleep better

Reading

Reading can be hugely beneficial for your health and wellbeing:

  • Improves brain connectivity
  • Aids in sleep readiness
  • Reduces stress
  • Can help with symptoms of depression
  • Prevents cognitive decline as you age
  • Reading Well supports you to understand and manage your health and wellbeing using helpful reading. The books are all recommended by health experts, as well as people with lived experience of the conditions and topics covered and their relatives and carers.

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