Winter Blues Advice From NHS Sussex

They're offering simple practical tips to help us all look after out Mental Wellbeing this winter.

The winter months can be a challenging time for many people. Shorter days resulting in less light, cold and sometimes extreme weather can negatively impact mood and make it difficult to go about life normally.

It’s thought the winter blues, or seasonal affective disorder (SAD), affects around 2 million people in the UK. It can affect people of any age, including children.

This winter is likely to be even tougher for many people with the added stress of the cost of living crisis is affecting many, with around a third 34% of adults reported increases in the cost of living had negatively impacted their mental health. It is also a challenging time for NHS and social care workers who are under mounting pressure as we head into winter.

In the UK alone, around 2 million Britons are impacted by the “winter blues” or better known Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Symptoms include excessive tiredness and then in turn sleep problems, unsociable behaviour, irritability, overeating and depression.

That’s why, NHS Sussex is offering some simple tips to help look after Mental Wellbeing this Winter:

Keep to a routine

• Stay active - Free online exercise tips and advice available via the NHS One You website. 
• Keep warm - Keep warm with hot drinks and hot food. Wear warm clothes and shoes, and aim to keep your home between 18C and 21C
• Make the most of natural light - Open curtains and maximise the light in living space.
• Do something you enjoy – Taking time and space is great for mental wellbeing and resilience.
• Take time for self-care - Meditation and relaxation techniques can help reduce tension and stress.
• Keep in contact - Check in with family and friends.
• Eat well - Eating a healthy, balanced diet is an important part of maintaining good health and can improve both physical and mental health.
• Try something new - Learning a new craft or skill can boost self-confidence.
• Seek help - If symptoms are so bad that you can't live a normal life, see your GP for medical help.

If you need to talk to someone or would like to find out about how you can get help, please visit  the NHS Sussex website or  www.111.nhs.uk or call NHS 111. You can also text the word SUSSEX to 85258 to be connected to a trained volunteer who can who can help with anything you're struggling with, including anxiety, stress, loneliness or depression. If your condition is life threatening, please call 999.

The NHS is also encouraging anyone struggling with feelings of depression, or anxiety such as excessive worry, panic attacks, social anxiety, post-traumatic stress, or obsessions and compulsions, to seek help through NHS Talking Therapies services. These are effective, confidential and free treatments delivered by trained clinicians, online, on the phone, or in person. You do not need to have a diagnosed mental health problem to refer yourself to an NHS Talking Therapies service.

For those whose first language is not English, talking therapies can be delivered through multi-lingual therapists or through confidential interpreters, and in British Sign Language (BSL) through SignHealth’s NHS Therapies for Deaf People service. Your GP can refer you for NHS Talking Therapies, or you can refer yourself online at nhs.uk/talk

Peter Aitken, Chief Medical Officer for Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, said:

"As well as taking extra care of our wellbeing during the cold winter months, such as getting regular exercise, spending time outdoors during daylight hours, eating well and connecting with friends and family, if people are concerned about their mental health, there are a range of ways to get help in Sussex. 

This includes making an appointment with Talking Therapies or using our text-based mental health support service."

ENDS.