As a massage therapist, this is a common subject in conversation, and right now, I feel it’s a good idea to notice what you notice about your own health and wellbeing and make a plan.

Autumn and Spring can be really harsh season changes, and it’s round about this time of the year that I get the comments of job hunting, house moves, changes in relationship status as well, it can all be going on! Our lives just now seem to have an extra layer of stress on top of our lives this year, and in all honesty, my stress levels do get affected by how much of the news I watch, which is why today, I have been doing my paperwork with back to back movies and documentaries. As I write this I have on a programme with Bettany Hughes just now, about wonders of the ancient world. It’s just wonderful.

So what are the basics that we can do, to have a positive impact on our health and wellbeing, and in turn, have a positive effect on our mental health too.

Top of the list I would say is restful sleep. I have been on a mission to get an many charging and blue LED items out of my bedroom and have moved my Alexa which I use as alarm clock, away from my bed. Also, as I am writing this, I am drinking chamomile tea.

Deal with stress is next on the list I would say. Stress can be a reason that keeps us awake as well. If it gets late in the day and have anything unresolved is on your mind, try writing it out, or speak to someone that can help you out. Don’t go to bed with a busy head.

Get some diverse movement into your day. Put someone else in charge and look up a youtube video to follow, Joe wicks or Chloe Ting are a very good shout, and some of the videos are only 15 minutes long, what’s not to like?

Try to do something practical every day, to stop you being so ‘cerebral’ and up in your head. I find gardening has been a saviour for me.

And last but not least, talk to friends and family, and make sure you have someone in your life who can give you a good listening to.