Mental Health Awareness Week: Simple Wellbeing Strategies

Every May, Mental Health Awareness Week invites us to reflect on how we’re really doing—beyond the busy routines and outward smiles. It's an opportunity to slow down, reconnect with ourselves, and explore practical steps that support our emotional wellbeing.

At Care at Your Home Therapy Services, we know from experience that small, consistent practices can be profoundly healing. You don’t need to overhaul your life—just begin where you are.

Below, we share six therapist-informed strategies that are simple, evidence-based, and designed to fit into everyday life. Whether you're supporting your own mental health or someone else’s, these tools are a great starting point.

Mental Health in the UK: What the Numbers Show

Mental health challenges are widespread across the UK and affect individuals from all walks of life. Key statistics include:

• 1 in 4 adults experiences a mental health problem each year.

• The most common issues include anxiety disorders, depression, and stress-related conditions.

• Young adults aged 18–24 report particularly high rates of mental health concerns, highlighting a growing need for early support and intervention.

  
  

Mental health difficulties can affect anyone, but support is available. Whether you're struggling with low mood, feeling overwhelmed, or simply looking to build emotional resilience, seeking help early can make a meaningful difference.

Wellbeing Strategies for Improving Mental Health

1. Prioritise Rest and Recovery

   
   

Sleep is not a luxury—it’s a mental health essential. When we’re sleep-deprived, we’re more vulnerable to emotional overwhelm, anxiety, low mood, and reduced concentration.

Therapist tips:

• Create a consistent sleep routine: Aim for the same wake-up and sleep time daily to regulate your body clock.

• Wind down mindfully: Try a gentle pre-bed routine—like dimming lights, listening to calming sounds, or doing a short body scan meditation.

• Avoid stimulation: Reduce screen time an hour before bed to lower mental activation.
  

Insight: Sleep disturbances are often linked to trauma, anxiety, and chronic stress. If you find it difficult to sleep even after making changes, speaking to a therapist can help uncover underlying causes.

2. Move Your Body with Kindness
   

Movement supports both our physical and emotional health. It helps regulate mood, release tension, and reconnect with our bodies—especially important if you're feeling disconnected or stuck.

Therapist tips:

• Start small: Even 10 minutes of walking or stretching can help clear mental fog and reduce anxious energy.

• Focus on enjoyment, not outcomes: Choose movement that feels good, not what’s expected—be it dancing, gardening, or slow yoga.

• Use it as a grounding tool: Bring awareness to how your body feels during movement. This can anchor you in the present moment.
  

Insight: Movement is often integrated into trauma recovery work because it supports regulation of the nervous system. If you feel unsafe or overwhelmed when moving your body, go gently and seek professional support.

3. Cultivate Meaningful Connection

Human connection is one of the most powerful protectors against emotional distress. Yet when we're struggling, it's easy to withdraw or feel alone in our experience.

Therapist tips:

• Reach out with intention: A short check-in text, a call, or sharing a cup of tea can create powerful moments of connection.

• Name your needs: Let others know how they can support you—emotionally, practically, or just by being present.

• Seek professional support: If relationships feel difficult or overwhelming, working with a therapist can help explore patterns and build healthier dynamics.
  

Insight: Many people carry wounds around attachment and connection. Therapy provides a safe, non-judgmental space to rebuild trust in yourself and others.

4. Practice Mindfulness and Grounding

Mindfulness isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a research-backed strategy to reduce stress, manage anxiety, and promote emotional clarity. It teaches us to respond, rather than react.

Therapist tips:

• Try the 5-4-3-2-1 technique: Notice 5 things you can see, 4 you can touch, 3 you can hear, 2 you can smell, and 1 you can taste. This brings you back to the here and now.

• Practice ‘Name It to Tame It’: Gently label your emotions (“I’m feeling overwhelmed”) to reduce their intensity.

• Use breathing techniques: Deep, slow breathing signals to your brain that you’re safe, helping to reduce fight-or-flight responses.
  

Insight: Mindfulness and grounding are core tools in CBT, DBT, and trauma therapy. They support nervous system regulation and promote emotional resilience over time.

5. Set Digital Boundaries
   

While technology connects us, constant digital stimulation can drain our mental bandwidth and contribute to burnout, comparison, and emotional fatigue.

Therapist tips:

• Have device-free zones: Mealtimes, your bedroom, and morning routines can be tech-free to allow real connection and presence.

• Audit your media feeds: Follow content that uplifts or educates you, and unfollow sources that increase anxiety or self-doubt.

• Replace scrolling with something nourishing: Read, doodle, journal, or rest. Your mind will thank you.
  

Insight: Creating space away from screens supports your brain’s need for rest and reflection. This is particularly important if you're navigating mental health challenges or working through therapy.

6. Be Compassionate Toward Yourself

Self-kindness isn't indulgent—it’s essential. Many people speak to themselves with a level of criticism they’d never direct at a friend. Healing starts when we soften that inner voice.

Therapist tips:

• Challenge your inner critic: Ask, “Would I say this to someone I care about?” If not, rewrite the message with compassion.

• Acknowledge progress: Celebrate small steps, not just big wins. Healing is not linear, and effort matters.

• Practice gentle affirmations: “I’m doing the best I can.” “It’s okay to feel what I’m feeling.” These statements can counter shame and build resilience.
  

Insight: Self-compassion is strongly linked with lower levels of anxiety, depression, and shame. In therapy, we explore where harsh self-beliefs come from and work to replace them with healthier inner narratives.

Final Thoughts: Your Wellbeing Is Worth Investing In

Mental health isn’t something we fix once and forget—it’s something we tend to regularly, like a garden. remind your self to take a moment to pause, reflect, and ask:“What’s one small thing I can do today for my emotional wellbeing?” (Reflect wellbeing strategies)

Remember: You are not alone. Support is available.

Need Support? We're Here to Help

At Care at Your Home Therapy Services, our team of highly trained, compassionate therapists offer personalised support to help you navigate:

• Anxiety, stress, and burnout

• Trauma and PTSD

• Low mood and depression

• Relationship and interpersonal issues

• Grief, life transitions, and identity challenges

• Neurodivergence-related support (ADHD, Autism)
  

We offer in-person therapy across Buckinghamshire and surrounding areas, and online therapy throughout the UK and internationally.

Care at Your Home: Psychological Services

Specialist Psychological Services for Individuals, Couples, and Organisations. — Providing evidence-based therapies to support emotional wellbeing, strengthen relationships, and enhance workplace resilience. Book an appointment today: www.cayhpsychologicalservices.co.uk

References

• NHS Digital. (2024). Mental Health of Children and Young People in England 2023 – Wave 4 Follow-up to the 2017 Survey.

• Office for National Statistics (ONS). (2023). Suicides in England and Wales: 2022 Registrations.

• Mental Health Foundation. (2023). Mental Health Statistics: UK.

• Mind. (2024). Mental Health Facts and Statistics.

• Gov.UK. (2023). Health and Wellbeing at Work