Bluebird Care Guides: Taking Care of Your Wellbeing in Lockdown

New research has shown a significant link between lockdown and mental health problems, which is why taking care of your wellbeing is so important.

A new study from the Mental Health Foundation has highlighted that almost one quarter - 24% - of adults living in lockdown in the UK have felt lonely, which has raised concerns about the long-term impact of social distancing and lockdown on mental health and wellbeing. 

This study has also found that during lockdown that feelings of loneliness and isolation have more than doubled. The research also highlighted that one in six older people, aged 55 and over, had felt more lonely as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

While research from Age UK has shown that 6.4 million people aged over 70 in the UK are worried about the impact of the current pandemic on their life at the moment, with over 2.9 million people of the same age saying that their mental health has been negatively impacted. 

During times like these, it can be easy for your wellbeing to suffer and for you to fall into an unhealthy mindset as a result. However, that being said, there are plenty of steps that people of all ages - including older adults - can take to help take care of their wellbeing during lockdown. 

Turn off the news: A large amount of the current reported news is negative. There are often scary statistics being reported, and most of the news articles have a negative angle to them about the current pandemic. It’s far too easy to obsess over what’s being reported, however it’s important to turn off the news and try to focus on something else instead. 

Here are some useful resources to help you to stay positive: https://thriveglobal.com/stories/10-habits-to-transform-your-mindset-during-lockdown/
https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/news/uk/life-on-the-inside-10-ways-to-help-an-elderly-relative-during-lockdown/

Stick to a routine: Keeping to a ‘normal’ routine as much as possible is important for your mental health and wellbeing. By sticking to a routine you can ensure that you feel happier and more in control.

Here are some useful resources to help you to find a new routine:
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/apr/01/start-a-daily-routine-and-make-the-weekends-different-the-isolation-experts-guide-to-lockdown-living-coronavirus
https://www.womanandhome.com/health-and-wellbeing/daily-routine-lockdown-356522-356522/

Stay connected: Make an effort to remain connected to your loved ones and speak to them on the phone or via video call on a regular basis. As well as speaking on the phone to your friends and family, you might enjoy writing letters to them as well. It’s little things like receiving a letter in the post that can really brighten up your day! 

Here are some useful resources to help you to stay connected to your loved ones:
https://www.macrumors.com/guide/facetime/
https://faq.whatsapp.com/en/android/26000026
https://www.facebook.com/help/287631408243374/?helpref=hc_fnav

Keep active: It’s important for your mental health that you remain active, even during lockdown. There are lots of options for staying active while at home, regardless of your levels of mobility. 

Here are some useful resources to help you to stay active while at home:
https://www.bluebirdcare.co.uk/exeter/news/27708/stay-active-while-in-isolation-with-yoga