First Psychology blog

Winter can be a challenging time for mental wellbeing due to shorter days, colder weather, and less sunlight. However, meal prepping with a focus on nutritious and comforting foods can significantly boost your mood and overall mental health. Research from the American Psychological Association suggests that dietary patterns can influence mental health outcomes. One study found that participants who improved their diet by eating less junk food and more nutrient-rich foods, such as fruits, vegetables and fish, experienced significant improvements in their depression symptoms. Meal prep ideas to help you stay mentally and physically healthy during the winter months: 1. Warm and nourishing breakfasts Starting your day with a warm, nutritious breakfast can set a positive tone for the rest of the day. Consider preparing: Overnight oats: mix oats with milk or a dairy-free alternative, chia seeds, and a touch of honey. Add fruits like berries or bananas and let it sit in the fridge overnight....

In a society where blame culture is rife, it can be difficult at times to empathise with others, particularly if we don’t want to be in the firing line. But in many cases, showing compassion to others not only breaks down blame culture, but it also frees us from negative emotions such as anger, frustration, and animosity. People can be very quick to judge another person’s actions or intentions without giving any consideration to why they acted in a such a way. Not only can this create negative thoughts in our own minds, but our reactions can also be damaging to the other person.  To develop relationships with people, whether at work or in our personal lives, we need to form a connection based on trust and respect. By showing empathy and compassion, we also begin to care for others, and this can have a huge effect on our own actions and thoughts.  Feelings of resentment and anger can have serious effects on our health and can create negative self-talk, insecurity, and a lack of...

For many of us, hopefully, we will live until a ripe old age and get to enjoy a long and happy retirement. However, there may be some setbacks along the way that can make ageing for some people a greater struggle. As the body and mind age, it’s inevitable that there are going to be changes but there are ways that we can help keep our mental and physical wellbeing in optimum health.  In a publication posted on Frontiers it states that “multiple social, psychological and biological factors are determinant of mental health, as well as life stressors. Among these, the lack of independence, limited mobility, chronic diseases, pain, frailty or other mental and physical problems, require long-term care.” So, how can we come to terms with the ageing process and how can it affect our mental and physical health? There are five main issues that can impact our mental health as we get older: Discrimination Relationships Participation in activities Physical health Poverty  Although there w...

If your morning routine has gone out of the window or if you’ve never had a morning routine, there are many reasons why it will be one of the most important parts of your day. Although it might seem like a huge effort when you first start to put certain practices into place, you’ll soon get into the swing of things. Reasons why a morning routine is good for your health Having a consistent morning routine is great for both your mental and physical health and by adopting some of these positive habits, you’ll soon start to see the benefits, which can include: Increased productivity Stress reduction Increase in energy levels and brain function An overall feeling of happiness and positivity Many people who lack some form of routine or structure in their lives suffer from various forms of ill health and poor mental wellbeing such as stress, anxiety, depression, disturbed sleep, and lethargy. Putting in place a morning routine, can help improve overall wellbeing. Planning your morning routine...

A couple of years ago, for a whole week I woke up every night drenched in sweat and started to think there was something going seriously wrong with my body. Like a lot of us do, I Googled my symptoms and convinced myself that I must have a life-threatening illness. Eventually I realised that my thermostat had actually malfunctioned and was cranking up the heat in my flat every night at 3am. If you’re anything like me, there may have been times when you’ve mistaken a change in bodily function as something more scary or sinister – and there’s not always a clear cause like a broken thermostat to take the blame. Sometimes things seem to change or go wrong in our bodies for no apparent reason, and this can be really frightening. It’s perfectly normal to experience worries about our health from time to time. However, if these worries start to negatively impact your everyday life and prevent you from having fun, you might be experiencing health anxiety. What does health anxiety look like? You...