there is only One You!

Looking after YOUR Body

Being healthier is not just about doing the right thing – it's about making changes to fit your lifestyle and make you feel good. Simple changes you can make every day, we have easy steps to help you be healthier

Looking after your mental health

Having good mental health helps us relax more, achieve more and enjoy our lives more. We have expert advice and practical tips to help you look after your mental health and wellbeing.

Coronavirus and wellbeing

10 tips to help if you are worried about coronavirus

Here are 10 ways you can help improve your mental health and wellbeing if you are worried or anxious about the coronavirus outbreak.

1. Stay connected with people

Maintaining healthy relationships with people we trust is important for our mental wellbeing, so think about how you can stay in touch with friends and family while needing to stay at home. You could try phone calls, video calls or social media instead of meeting in person – whether it's with people you normally see often or connecting with old friends.

2. Talk about your worries

It's normal to feel a bit worried, scared or helpless about the current situation. Remember: it is OK to share your concerns with others you trust – and doing so may help them too. If you cannot speak to someone you know or if doing so has not helped, there are plenty of helplines you can try instead.

NHS-recommended helplines

3. Support and help others

Helping someone else can benefit you as well as them, so try to be a little more understanding of other people's concerns, worries or behaviours at this time.

Try to think of things you can do to help those around you. Is there a friend or family member nearby you could message? Are there any community groups you could join to support others locally?

Remember, it is important to do this in line with official coronavirus guidance to keep everyone safe.

Helping others

4. Feel prepared

Working through the implications of staying at home should help you feel more prepared and less concerned. Think through a normal week: how will it be affected and what do you need to do to solve any problems? If you have not already, you might want to talk with your employer, understand your sick pay and benefits rights, and get hold of some essentials for while you are at home.

You could also think about who you can get help from locally – as well as people you know, lots of local and community help groups are being set up. Try to remember this disruption should only be temporary.

GOV.UK: Coronavirus support

5. Look after your body

Our physical health has a big impact on how we feel. At times like these, it can be easy to fall into unhealthy patterns of behaviour that end up making you feel worse.

Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, drink enough water and exercise regularly. Avoid smoking or drugs, and try not to drink too much alcohol.

You can leave your house, alone or with members of your household, for 1 form of exercise a day – like a walk, run or bike ride. But make you keep a safe 2-metre distance from others. Or you could try one of our easy 10-minute home workouts.

Try a home workout

6. Stick to the facts

Find a credible source you can trust – such as GOV.UK or the NHS website – and fact-check information you get from newsfeeds, social media or other people.

You could also use the GOV.UK Coronavirus Information Service on WhatsApp. This automated chatbot covers the most common questions about coronavirus. Message the coronavirus chatbot to get started.

Think about how possibly inaccurate information could affect others too. Try not to share information without fact-checking against credible sources.

You might also want to consider limiting the time you spend watching, reading or listening to coverage of the outbreak, including on social media, and think about turning off breaking-news alerts on your phone. You could set yourself a specific time to read updates or limit yourself to a couple of checks a day.

NHS information on coronavirus

7. Stay on top of difficult feelings

Concern about the coronavirus outbreak is perfectly normal. However, some people may experience intense anxiety that can affect their daily life.

Try to focus on the things you can control, such as your behaviour, who you speak to, and where and how often you get information.

It's fine to acknowledge that some things are outside of your control, but if constant thoughts about coronavirus are making you feel anxious or overwhelmed, try some ideas to help manage your anxiety or listening to an audio guide.

NHS audio guides

8. Do things you enjoy

If we are feeling worried, anxious or low, we might stop doing things we usually enjoy. Focusing on your favourite hobby, relaxing indoors or connecting with others can help with anxious thoughts and feelings.

If you cannot do the things you normally enjoy because you are staying at home, think about how you could adapt them, or try something new.

There are lots of free tutorials and courses online, and people are coming up with inventive new ways to do things, like hosting online quizzes and music concerts.

Watch: Keep learning

9. Focus on the present

Focusing on the present, rather than worrying about the future, can help with difficult emotions and improve our wellbeing. Relaxation techniques can also help some people deal with feelings of anxiety, or you could try our mindful breathing video.

Watch: Mindful breathing

10. Look after your sleep

Good-quality sleep makes a big difference to how we feel mentally and physically, so it is important to get enough.

Try to maintain regular sleeping patterns and keep up good sleep hygiene practices – like avoiding screens before bed, cutting back on caffeine and creating a restful environment. See our sleep page for more advice.

Tips to improve your sleep

EAT BETTER

What you eat, and how much, is so important for your health. The Eatwell Guide shows how much of what we eat overall should come from each food group to achieve a healthy, balanced diet. You do not need to achieve this balance with every meal, but try to get the balance right over a day or even a week. You can find out more about eating well here.

HOW TO EAT WELL FOR LESS

Can you eat healthy and save money? You bet! If cost is stopping you changing your and your family's diet, try these tips to see how healthy eating does not have to cost more.

Tips To Eat Well For Less

Recipe: HEALTHY FISH AND CHIPS

Make your own healthier version of fish and chips at home (at least you won't have to queue!)

Ingredients

4 baking potatoes, scrubbed and each cut into 8 wedges
1 tbsp vegetable oil
75g dried white or wholemeal breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten with 2 tbsp cold water
4 fillets skinless haddock (or cod)
300g mushy peas
1 pinch ground black pepper

Nutritional information
Per portion (i.e. ¼ recipe)

1682kJ / 402kcal
34g protein
56g carbohydrate of which 3g sugars
6g fat of which 1g saturates
4g fibre
440mg sodium equivalent to 1g salt

Method

Preheat the oven to gas mark 6/200°C/fan oven 180°C. Lightly grease a baking sheet with a little vegetable oil.
Put the potato wedges into a roasting tin. Add the remaining vegetable oil and toss to coat. Season with black pepper. Transfer oven to bake for 35-40 minutes, turning them over after 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, sprinkle the breadcrumbs onto a large plate. Season with a little pepper. Dip each fish fillet in the beaten egg, then the breadcrumbs. Place on the baking sheet, then transfer to the oven when you turn the potatoes, so that it cooks for 15-20 minutes.

To check that the fish is cooked, it should flake easily when tested with a fork.

Heat the mushy peas in a saucepan, then serve with the fish and 'chips'.

Tips

Not peeling the potatoes means you get more fibre in your diet – and they're quicker to prepare.
If you're on a budget, try pollock instead of haddock or cod as it's very economical.
Look out for dried breadcrumbs flavoured with lemon or spices to add extra flavour to the fish, or add some finely grated lemon a pinch of paprika to plain dried breadcrumbs.

Serves 4 - 20 Minutes - Medium Difficulty

Ingredients

4 soft flour tortillas
64g lower-fat soft cheese
4 tbsp low-fat natural yoghurt
130g chopped skinless, boneless roast chicken breasts
100g sweetcorn
¼ cucumber
1 handful lettuce leaves
1 pinch ground black pepper

Nutritional information
Per portion (ie. ¼ recipe)

1,294kJ / 307kcal
20.2g protein
6.4g fat, of which 2.7g saturates
40.4g carbohydrate, of which 7.2g sugars
3.6g dietary fibre
1.2g salt

Method

Lay out the wraps or tortillas on a clean work surface.
Put the soft cheese and yoghurt in a bowl and mix together until smooth.
Add the chicken, sweetcorn and cucumber. Season with some pepper, then mix well.
Spread an equal amount over each wrap, then top with the lettuce.
Roll up each wrap tightly, slice in half, then wrap in cling film. Keep cool until ready to serve.

Tips

If you're not keen on cucumber or sweetcorn, use grated carrot or some of your favourite veg instead.
If you're packing these wraps into a lunch box, try to remember to put a small ice pack in with them to keep them cool and fresh.

Serves 4 - 15 Minutes - Easy Difficulty

You can also find many more Eat Better recipes here.

HOW MUCH EXERCISE SHOULD YOU REALLY DO?

Do you need to do 30 minutes a day to get the health benefits, or can you get away with just 10? Let's clear up the confusion by looking at what's recommended by the government's medical experts. Find out here.

TRY A 10-MINUTE HOME WORKOUT

To stay fit and healthy, you're recommended to get at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity a week, or around 20 to 30 minutes a day. Plus, you should aim to do strengthening and balance exercises at least 2 days a week. Have a go at these workouts.

Getting exercise doesn't need to be difficult – you don't even need to leave the house! Clear some space in the living room and follow along with these easy 10-minute workout videos.

Home Workout Videos

WHAT CAN A DAILY WALK DO?

A brisk walk every day can do wonders – it could help you deal with things like anxiety, depression, feeling low or lacking energy. Remember, it is important to do this in line with official coronavirus guidance to keep everyone safe.

Get Your Mind Plan

Answer 5 quick questions to get your free plan with tips to help you deal with stress and anxiety, improve your sleep, boost your mood and feel more in control. Click the image to try the quiz.

Urgent support

If you cannot wait to see a doctor and feel unable to cope or keep yourself safe, it's important to get support – services are still open during the coronavirus pandemic.

Some thoughts and feelings can be more complex, frightening and confusing, but you do not have to struggle alone. If you cannot wait to see a doctor and feel unable to cope or keep yourself safe, contact one of the organisations in the link below (Get urgent support now) to get support right away. Or see further NHS advice on dealing with a mental health crisis or emergency.

Get urgent support now

St Anne's Catholic Primary School