Wellbeing

Mindfulness

Many people tell us that they cannot or don’t have time to relax. You may fall into one of these categories, and if so it might be helpful for you to learn how to relax and the importance of relaxation and mindfulness. Relaxation is not being unproductive, slacking off, or not being effective. Relaxation, when practiced through mindfulness, is taking time to rest and rejuvenate to allow the brain and body time to wind down and recharge. It is vital for mental and physical wellbeing and the good news is that the more you do it, the better you get at it. So it doesn’t matter if you read a book for 30 minutes or take a whole day to sit and watch your favourite show, the point is that you make and take planned time to relax the whole mind and body. To get you started we have developed a helpful worksheet for practicing mindfulness. We also offer formal sessions for the assessment and management of anxiety, of which mindfulness is an important component. If you would likee a free consultation, please feel free to get in touch with us.

Sleep

Sleep is integral for a healthy mind and body. When we sleep well we have an opportunity to recharge for the day ahead. There are many reasons for poor sleep, some which can be situational or time-limited and other reasons that may be more long term or organic in nature. The DSM-V identifies several sleep-related disorders, which are defined by the different difficulties with sleep, such as difficulties getting to sleep or staying asleep, and waking in the middle of the night. It also includes difficulties waking, or falling asleep without trying. There any many helpful interventions to improve sleep. At Psychology Hut, we have developed a free downloadable worksheet to help with good sleep hygiene. This is a popular idea used widely to treat sleeping problems. If sleeping issues continue, it may be as a result of a longer standing issue and if left untreated, poor sleep can impact on mood, health, and general wellbeing. If you have concerns about your sleep in the context of mental heath, you can contact us for a free initial consultation, or email us for a copy of our free sleep hygeine workbook.

Exercise

Whilst we aim for thirty to sixty minutes of exercise per day, any exercise is good exercise. The important thing is that you start at a level you can tolerate and aim to build on it each week. The great news is that inadvertant exercise also counts. For example, if you need to climb the stars to get to your office, or walk to the tube, or walk to the supermarket, all of this counts. Ideally getting your pulse rate up past a resting rate is a great goal to work on. Getting enough exercise can be a challenge for many reasons such as physical, psychological, and situational difficulties, but it can help to get creative about your exercise so that it works within your own abilities. We have developed a helpful programme to help with ideas for commencing and maintaining exercise routines. The most important thing is to start, and the rest is about momentum and maintenance. If you would like to discuss this further, please get in touch with our team today.

Healthy eating

We have all seen the healthy eating pyramid, which helpfully points to what a balanced diet typically looks like. However, many of us have difficulties putting this into practice. This could be due to lifestyle, situation, preferences, or dietary requirements. Whatever the case, it is integral to keep a balanced diet, which we know to be essential for good mental health, good physical health, and general wellbeing. Without a balanced diet many people report difficulties with mood, energy, motivation, self-esteem, and general physical and psychological wellbeing. Interestingly, it is not just food that is important for diet but also fluid consumption, and making sure you drink enough water every day is equally as important. At Psychology Hut we have developed a helpful worksheet to assist you in creating a healthy diet. If you continue to have problems with diet there may be something else contributing and we recommend you get in contact to arrange a free consultation to discuss in more detail.

Relationship difficulties

Difficulties in interpersonal relationships are common. They can occur with your romantic partner, your parents, your children, or your friends. They can also arise in the workplace. Relationship difficulties can cause significant stress and distress on all involved and often result in tension, conflict, and verbal conflict. It can be very helpful for those involved to come to therapy to discuss the relationship and the problems that exist. In the therapeutic environment, we usually teach interpersonal effectiveness skills, communication skills, problem-solving skills, and conflict management skills and values to get couples or family members to a place where relationships may be stable.

Alcohol and substance misuse

All psychoactive substances alter our physiological responses and can impact on mood, energy, perception, motivation, and overall wellbeing. While some substances, such as caffeine and alcohol may be consumed by some in small quantities, mind altering drugs that either produce a heightened or elated mood or a calm, relaxed mood ought to be avoided as they are camouflaging the actual mood state, which may be present for important reasons, such as trying to communicate how we are feeling or what is happening around us. By using some psychoactive substances, we miss out on the opportunity to check in with ourselves and our resting mood, and can be a struggle to learn from it and try to respond to it in helpful ways. At Psychology Hut we have specialist experience in addictions psychology and addictions medicine. We can discuss the physiological, psychological, and medical components of addiction, and the potential risks of substance misuse and harmful use. If you would like to find out more about alcohol and substance use, we have developed a handout that includes an index of substances, the risks, and possible treatments for some addiction issues. Please get in touch to find out more.