A lockdown in response to a pandemic will impact the daily lives of everyone. Protecting your physical and mental wellbeing is essential in helping to keep us safe, and adapting to rapidly changing times.

Each person will have a different response to the situation, and remember it’s okay to have feelings of stress, anxiety and sadness.

If you are experiencing stress, feelings of anxiety or low mood, use the NHS mental health and wellbeing advice website for self-assessment, audio guides and practical tools.

Every Mind Matters also provides simple tips and advice to start taking care of your mental health. If you are struggling after several weeks and it continues to affect your daily life, please contact NHS 111 – either online or by phone.

Below are tips for taking care of your mental health and wellbeing during a lockdown. For more advice and guidance visit the government’s guidance for the public on mental health and wellbeing.

Connect. Consider how to stay in touch with friends and relatives via telephone calls, video or social media instead of meeting with them in person.

Help and support others. Think about how you can help support those around you.

Voice your worries. Feeling worried, scared or helpless is normal during lockdown circumstances. A lockdown is a difficult time for everyone, so sharing your worries can also help others.

Take care of your physical health. Mental wellbeing has a big impact on how we feel emotionally and physically. Taking decisions to have healthy behavioural patterns will help to manage stress and maintain wellbeing. Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, drink enough water, exercise inside where possible and outside once a day, and try to avoid smoking, alcohol and drugs.

Get good sleep. Maintaining regular sleeping patterns and keeping good sleep hygiene practices – such as avoiding screens before bed, cutting back on caffeine and creating a restful environment. The NHS Every Mind Matters sleep page provides practical advice on how to improve your sleep.

Manage difficult feelings. Acknowledging that under lockdown circumstances there may be some things that are out of our control will help to manage anxiety. Focus on things you can control, including where you get information from, and actions to make yourself feel better prepared.

Manage media and information intake. 24-hour news and constant social media updates can make you more worried. If it affects you, try to limit the time you spend watching, reading, or listening to media coverage.

Focus on the present. Focusing on the present moment, rather than worrying about the future or thinking about the past, can help to manage difficult emotions. Relaxation techniques and breathing exercises can help to reduce anxiety

The post Looking after your mental health and wellbeing during lockdown appeared first on Lisa Ives Osteopathy.

In the UK, 100,000 new cases of skin cancer are detected each year, with more than 2,500 people dying annually. Although treatment is improving, the rates of the most fatal of skin cancers, malignant melanoma, is rising faster than any other common cancer.
Here we share the essential tips for prevention and early detection of skin cancer.

Prevention

When sunny weather arrives in the UK, or we take a trip abroad, it is tempting to embrace the sun. However, it is an important time to remember the importance of sun safety. One of the main preventable causes of skin cancer is UV exposure, but by following the following tips, you can stay safer in the sun:

Sunscreen

It takes around 20 minutes for the skin to absorb sunscreen, so it should be applied before going out into the sun. Sunscreen should be reapplied at least every two hours, and sooner if you’ve been swimming or sweating. It is best to use sunscreen that is SPF30 and has a five-star UVA rating. Cover up – Although it’s not great for getting a tan, the best sunscreen is clothing. Wearing a t-shirt and a hat can prevent skin damage. Timing – The sun is strongest around noon, so you should avoid being in the sun at this time as it can take very little time for skin to burn.

Detection

With early detection, skin cancer can be treated effectively. The following tips help to increase the chances of spotting possible skin cancer:

• Know what to look for – Skin cancer varies, so any concerns about abnormal skin conditions should be checked. However, the most common signs of a malignant melanoma follow the ABCDE checklist.
• Check yourself regularly – You should routinely do a full body check of yourself, making note of any moles that are worth keeping an eye on, and getting any that cause concern checked by an expert. If you think a mole is growing or changing,it’s worth measuring it and taking a photo, so you can be sure if there is any change.
• Get help – It’s not easy to see every part of your body, and you back is one of the most common places for skin cancer to occur. See if there’s someone you can ask to help you to check yourself.
• Get it confirmed – If there is a mole or other skin problem that is causing concern, get it checked by an expert as soon as possible.

The ABCDE check list

Asymmetry – Is it an uneven shape?
Border – Are the edges of the mole uneven?
Colour – Are there different shades of black, brown or pink?
Diameter – Does it have a diameter larger than a pencil eraser? (6mm / ¼ inch)
Evolving – Has the mole changed size, shape or colour?

The post Your Skin Health appeared first on Lisa Ives Osteopathy.

Physical inactivity is a major cause of disease and disability for adults, but a brisk 10-minute walk every day can make a difference to your health.

A new Public Health England campaign, Active 10, is encouraging people to steadily increase their exercise each day.

Each 10 minutes of exercise is known as an “Active 10”. Brisk walking is one example, but just walking at a faster pace to get your heart pumping, you are taking steps to improve your health.

Start with a 10-minute brisk walk a day and then see if you can gradually build up to more.

It’s easier than you’d think to start making small improvements to your health, so why not start today? The Active 10 campaign has an app, available on Android or iPhone, to help you monitor your activity, as well as advice and support at NHS Active10

The post It’s easier than you think to improve your health appeared first on Lisa Ives Osteopathy.