Wellbeing is the state of being comfortable, healthy or happy. Welfare of individuals is important year round but more so when the sun sets earlier during the autumn, rising later in the morning, leaving people in the dark most of the time.

This can have a significant impact on… you guessed it, mental health. With reduced daylight hours we can suffer from vitamin d deficiency – a crucial vitamin made in the body when skin is exposed to sunlight. This can result in depression and other mental health symptoms, like anxiety.

You can read more about vitamin d, and how you can raise those levels here on the NHS site: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-d/

For many the darker days bring the feeling they want to comfort themselves. Maybe the lack of light, or lack of social interaction, the cold or even a general unhealthy diet can make it more difficult to get through.

Did you know that social interaction and a close-knit society can help depression?

This is the number 1 wellbeing tip I recommend for you. Science has studies on this.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7815303/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2860146/

There seems to be a lot of emphasis on other areas of life when it comes to wellbeing and staying happy. A good wellbeing plan might incorporate exercise, healthy eating and a regular sleep schedule for instance. But it might also lack any indication of a social interaction time.

I’ve touched before on how people can interact in more than one way. Notable is the of social media, video calling software both on phones and computers and just a general increased connectivity in the world. However, on the other end we also have seen numerous people talking about the increased isolation, depression and general mental health problems as a result of people not interacting, despite the increased connectivity. It could mean that face to face interaction is more effective. I believe this is the case, as seeing people in person is usually more rewarding than receiving a video of each other doing things and then simply talking about it over a call.

Having a pet that can interact will no doubt help you battle feelings of isolation. There is no need to feel isolated though.

Having a healthy eating plan, a regular sleep schedule, daily exercise and getting up and getting the early sun are basic methods to keep wellbeing stable. To take it further you could indulge in those feel good things you enjoy, like hot bubble baths, hot cocao beneath a thick blanket in the evenings, watching a movie alone or better yet going to the cinema with someone.

Take it from me that a GOOD WELLBEING PLAN will do you a world of good this autumn and winter. With increasing prices it is highly likely that the majority of people will not be doing much at all.

There are those will money though who will simply continue to go on expensive holidays and buy ridiculous priced items whilst the rest suffer though.

Try making a wellbeing plan today. Or share some tips below in the comments for everyone to try! Here are some things I like to do.

• Watching a movie beneath a thick blanket with hot drink
• Watching travel videos of hot countries
• Reading and writing
• Going to bed early and reading in bed
• Walking in the early mornings or trying to get out at least once a day for a ‘leisure’ walk
• Eating healthy
• Contacting people
• Painting
• Playing video games (helps me feel connected, and works for me)