Inspiration for your wellbeing during lockdown

Inspiration for your wellbeing during lockdown

May 6, 2020

We want to thank people for staying home and not travelling to visit the National Park during the lockdown in order to help save lives and protect the NHS. We know connecting with others and nature are vital for wellness, so Kate Drake, the National Park’s health and wellbeing officer, takes a look at how you can support your physical and mental health during lockdown.

The last few weeks has been a rollercoaster of emotions for most people. Adjusting to a new way of being and living has thrown a lot of what makes us who we are, up in the air.  Hopefully you are beginning to settle into this new way of being.  This period in history has seen some incredible acts of kindness and people and communities pulling together to respond.

Although we can exercise outside once a day, some people are not so fortunate and might not have access to green open spaces or are socially isolating, so here are some ideas around connecting to nature that you can do in your own home.  These are based on the five ways to Health and Wellbeing, which is an evidence- based tool developed by the New Economics Foundation and a well-established way to support your wellbeing.

Be active

Download an app and try a new form of exercise, Health Matters or Sports England has a range of 10 minute workouts you can do solo, with loved ones or your children.  Doing exercise can really change your mood to then support you to focus on something else in the day.

Learn something new

Now is a great opportunity to learn something new.  Make a new recipe, play a game you haven’t played before.  There are lots of creative projects that can be done, with tutorials on YouTube. Read a book, write a book, write a poem and learn a new musical instrument or something that keeps your mind active.  Learn about a new location in South Downs National Park in preparation for when you can go there in person or learn what habitats and species live in National Park.

Give

The community is pulling together – people putting notes through neighbours’ doors to say they will help with shopping and setting up support circles with friends and family to keep in touch and help out if people do need to self-isolate.  Bake a cake or new recipe and give it to a loved one.

Connect with others

Although we might not be able to see our loved ones physically we can keep in contact via phone, What’s App, Skype, virtual games night or virtual get together’s via Zoom, Houseparty or other social media platforms.

Making art sculptures out of petals, twigs, shells and taking pictures and sharing with your loved ones is another great way to connect.

Take notice

Taking notice of what is around you can help reduce stress levels.  Notice the signs of spring and summer. Birds singing, leaves unfurling, feel the sun on your skin, wind blowing through your window and of course listen to the spring showers.  Breathe it in. Is it cold or warm?  Notice the smell and scents around you.  Breathe in and take notice.

Draw what you see – a flower, a tree. Use this for inspiration or just to be. Connecting with nature can be really helpful and can reduce anxiety and help with grounding ourselves.  Plant something if you can and notice the changes each day. Have a go at some of these ideas and let us know how you get on by posting photos on social media and tagging the South Downs National Park!