Taking care of our teeth should be a priority. Brushing might not be enough. Evidence suggests that even some people who brush and floss consistently may still suffer serious dental problems. One reason for this might be the bacterial biomes in our mouths. As gross as it sounds, the human mouth is one of the most bacteria-ridden places on the planet. Billions of bacteria live inside your mouth. While some bacteria are harmful, others are necessary to maintain health in the teeth and gums.

For reasons scientists don’t fully understand, some people naturally have trouble maintaining a healthy balance of bacteria within the mouth. This is one big reason why people who brush and floss perfectly may still, unfortunately, develop weakened enamel, gum disease, and other troubling dental problems.

How should people with these problems approach their dental health? One solution involves supplementation. Supplementing your diet using some of the pills available in the alternative health industry might help to fill the gaps in your dental health. This approach is popular among millions worldwide due in no small part to the cost-effective nature of supplements. When we compare the price of a month’s supply of dental supplements to the cost of even a single visit to the dentist’s office, it’s hard to deny which option is cheaper.

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As many of us decide to cut back for Sober October, will this really benefit our health in the long term?

By Flic Everett

Many years ago, I gave up drinking alcohol for a month, and was so impressed with myself, I felt I’d cracked the Da Vinci Code. Of course, once the arbitrary 30 days were up, I returned immediately to my normal drinking pattern of “most nights”. I didn’t think about it again until five years ago, when a combination of nagging headaches and peri-menopausal facial flushing drove me to give up.

I’ve barely had a drink since, so Dry January and Sober October have passed me by. The latter, however, which raises funds for Macmillan Cancer Support by asking people to quit booze in return for sponsorship, is gearing up for a bumper month as many, mindful of drinking too much during the long nights of lockdown, are signing up.

Diageo, the spirits company, recently estimated that by the end of 2022, the UK alcohol industry will be worth £46.7 billion, with an estimated 29.2 million regular consumers, with over-30s in professional occupations drinking the most. In 2020, according to government figures, there were 8,974 UK deaths from alcohol-specific causes; an 18.6 per cent increase on 2019.

Countless studies have shown links between excessive drinking and cancers, heart failure and diabetes, among other chronic health issues.

No wonder, then, that so many of us are reconsidering our drinking habits. But does a month of sobriety really make any difference to overall health – or are habitual drinkers simply whitewashing the problem, without any discernible benefits?

Sober October may not just benefit physical health, says Dr Catherine Carney, of Delamere rehab clinic in Cheshire.

“Alcohol can also affect sleep quality, so you’ll have more energy,” Dr Carney says. “Regular and excessive alcohol consumption can also have a detrimental effect on mental wellbeing. While 56 per cent of the UK say they consume alcohol for relaxation, it’s only temporary relief, and may leave your mental wellbeing in a worse state overall.”

When it comes to physical health, “drinking large amounts of alcohol over a prolonged period of time can increase blood pressure to unhealthy levels”, says Dr Carney, “and result in more health complications down the line. When you give up alcohol, your blood pressure will reduce, which can help to prevent heart failure, strokes and heart attacks.”

She warns however, that “proving” you can quit for a few weeks doesn’t necessarily suggest a healthy relationship with alcohol. “It promotes this negative mindset that if someone can go without alcohol for the duration, it means that they don’t have a dangerous relationship, when in fact, they do have a substance issue,” she says. “Heavy drinkers could use this month of sobriety as an excuse to abuse alcohol for the remainder of the year.”

GP Dr Ross Perry lists the benefits of a month off the booze. “After your last drink, the liver starts working overtime and the pancreas starts producing extra insulin,” he says. “It’s important to drink lots of water, as your body will be flushing out toxins via the liver and kidneys, so you’re going to the loo more.”

If you don’t feel better immediately, he adds, “it takes up to 72 hours before you mentally and physically feel ‘normal’.”

After two weeks, “you will likely see a drop in body weight, eye bags reduced and far less overall bloating around the stomach, as well as clearer skin”, he goes on. “After three weeks, blood pressure may reduce. A month in, skin and eyes will look brighter and clearer – liver fat reduces by up to 15 per cent, increasing its ability to flush out toxins.

Mild liver disease, such as fatty liver can be reversed completely [how long this takes will depend on the state the liver is in and how old the person is] over time, if a person stops drinking alcohol altogether, he concludes. “When there is no alcohol in your blood for several months, often, the liver cells can gradually repair and return to normal.”

My own anxiety improved dramatically within a week of giving up alcohol. I can’t pretend I lost any weight (because I replaced the calories with snacks) – but I slept better almost immediately. Now, my moods are more stable, the headaches have gone, and my skin is no longer flushed.

“The main benefit of going sober for a month is breaking a habit,” says pharmacist Abbas Kanani, of Chemist Click. “It takes around 30 days to form a habit so not drinking for four or five weeks can help you stop.” But in the long term, he warns, it’s back to square one if you return to previous habits. “Thirty days without drinking is not long enough to reverse any long-term damage. If you go straight back to drinking, it will have been a waste of time.”

Most Sober October participants might not quit permanently – but for anyone concerned about their health, finances or fluctuating moods, it’s the perfect opportunity to take a step back, and reset their relationship with alcohol – perhaps for good.

Who can help you cut back on alcohol?

1. DrinkCoach provides support if you want to give up alcohol. They have treatment specialists, a free test that can tell you how risky your drinking is and an app with tools to help reduce your alcohol intake.
2. The Soberistas are a worldwide community of people helping each other to stay sober.
3. Club Soda is a “mindful” drinking support group helping those who wish to moderate their intake or give up completely.
4. Recoverlution is an online platform that offers information and support for drug and alcohol addiction.
5. Alcoholics Anonymous can help you find a local support group

By Laura Potter

The term ‘functional foods’ may be something you’ve heard of, but it can be confusing to know what these hard-working foods are and how they are beneficial to our health. If you’re scratching your head over how to get more functional foods into your diet, then this is what you need to know.

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Britons today are taking more of an interest in their health – particularly post-Covid.

According to the government, in 2021, 7 in 10 adults in England were motivated to get healthier due to the pandemic.

And while the country is on a wellbeing kick, Vitality thinks it’s worth knowing more about ‘functional foods’ and how they can benefit our health.

Functional foods should not be confused with the term ‘superfoods’

Of course, all healthy foods have their benefits.

But functional foods are proven to have additional purposes that are part of their make-up, and legislation exists to prevent manufacturers from making unsubstantiated claims.

What are functional foods?

According to the British Nutrition Foundation, functional e foods deliver additional or enhanced benefits over and above their basic nutritional value”.

This should not be confused with terms like ‘superfoods’.

“Superfoods are more of a marketing term used by the food industry to sell foods rich in numerous nutrients at higher price points, whereas functional foods contain nutrients that have been shown in countless studies to improve health outcomes,” explains Rachel Clarkson, Specialist Dietitian and Nutritionist, also known as The DNA Dietitian.

“For example, a typical superfood is a goji berry, rich in fibre, potassium, copper, iron and zinc, whereas a functional whole food would be actual berries [such as a blueberry], which contains anthocyanins (a type of phytochemical), in addition to all the other nutrients,” she adds.

“These have been shown to prevent cancer, reduce heart disease risk and keep your brain in good health.”

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Functional foods – the facts:

• Are proven to be able to reach the point in the body where they’re efficiently utilised (such as the small intestine and colon for probiotics).
• Are not expensive or hard to find.
• Include kitchen staples like oats, yoghurt, garlic and tinned mackerel.

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Functional vs fortified – what’s the difference?

“With conventional functional foods, the beneficial substance is naturally occurring,” notes Ryan James, Health & Wellbeing Advisor at Vitality.

“Whereas fortified or modified foods have had ingredients added to provide the additional health benefits.”

“Foods are fortified either to boost the quantity of a nutrient present in the food, or to restore a nutrient that may have been lost during processing.”

As a result, many fortified foods will also be classed as functional.

A ‘whole food’ example would be omega 3, which is naturally found  in oily fish, while a ‘modified’ functional food would be eggs that are rich in omega 3 because the chicken has been given omega 3-rich feed.

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Some common fortified foods include:

• White bread: It’s mandatory to fortify non-wholemeal wheat flours with iron, thiamin or vitamin B1 [which cannot be made by the body], calcium and niacin (vitamin B3), because these nutrients are lost in the milling process.
• Breakfast cereals: Often voluntarily fortified, these contribute 20% of the average iron intake and 13% of the average daily vitamin D intake of British adults.

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Now that we’ve explained the science behind functional foods, here are five that you can easily implement into your diet today.

1. Fermented foods

Function: Digestion and immunity

“Fermented foods like kefir, sauerkraut, pickled vegetables, miso and kimchi (spicy Korean pickled cabbage) are a great source of live cultures,” says Clarkson.

“And there’s ongoing research into how certain live cultures support immunity.”

These foods can be more beneficial than supplements due to their variety of live microorganisms, rather than a few specific strains.

Fermented foods, such as kimchi, produce live cultures that are beneficial to the digestive system

We also know that when our gut plays host to a wide variety of helpful bacteria it has a positive effect on our digestion, but growing evidence suggests it also stimulates the immune system and dials down inflammation.

For example, foods fortified with the Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium bifidum species can help reduce diarrhoea and calm IBS symptoms.

2. Prebiotics

Function: Digestion and mineral absorption

Prebiotics are a type of dietary fibre that feed our good gut bacteria and encourage them to grow.

“A diet containing a variety of fibrous and fermented foods can promote a healthy gut, which has become increasingly associated with immune function,” says James.

Prebiotics can be found in but is not limited to: artichokes, asparagus, bananas, chicory, tomatoes, garlic, onions and leeks as well as whole grain cereals.

Prebiotic-packed foods, however, are non-digestible, which may sound counterproductive, but bear with us.

By being non-digestible, they pass through the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract (part of the digestive system) and reach the colon to encourage growth of beneficial bacteria.

Not only do prebiotics feed the good bacteria, they also inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria and help to better absorb minerals – particularly calcium.

3. Plant stanols or sterols

Function: Lower cholesterol

Another functional food is one that you might have seen advertised on the TV.

Special spreads that claim to help bring down cholesterol are another example of functional foods.

These types of spreads are blended with stanols and sterols, which are naturally present in plant-based foods, such as vegetable oils, nuts, fruits and vegetables,

And these compounds’ superpower is to reduce the absorption of cholesterol, due to their naturally similar structure.

Spreads that help to bring down cholesterol are another example of a functional food

Excess and unabsorbed cholesterol is then excreted from the body.

“A plant sterol or stanol-enriched yoghurt has the ability to reduce cholesterol to help reduce the risk of heart disease,” adds Clarkson.

And there’s research out there that explains the beneficial functions of these foods.

Usually 30-60% of total cholesterol is absorbed from the intestine into the blood, but when plant stanol and sterol esters are present, that falls to around 20%, according to the British Nutrition Foundation, and the reduction of bad cholesterol, or LDL cholesterol, ranges between 6% and 15%.

Stanols or sterols are often added to spreads, milk, yoghurts, salad dressings and mayonnaise.

4. Dietary fibre

Function: Weight management

Britons over the age of 14 are now being told to consume 30g of fibre a day – and there’s no wonder due to the broad benefits.

More obvious benefits to eating fibre include, preventing constipation and lowering cholesterol.

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6 plant-based foods to boots mood, energy and brainpower

11 mealtime tweaks to transform your mind, your body and the planet

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But there are other lesser known positives to consuming fibre.

These include improving gut health and managing weight, due to the fact they make you feel full.

Research has found that eating a high-fibre diet can also help to cut your risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer.

Fibre is naturally present in fruit and vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds and potato with skins, while ‘roughage’ in wholemeal bread, wholegrain breakfast cereals and brown pasta or rice are another good source of fibre.

5. Omega 3 fatty acids

Function: Eye, brain and heart health

The health benefits of omega 3 have been heavily researched.

A recent study even found that regularly eating oily fish can increase life expectancy by almost five years.

And some of the best sources come from oily fish, such as salmon, mackerel and sardines.

This is because of their high content of fatty acids:  eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic , for example.

“Omega -3 fatty acids may have the ability to lower heart disease risk, protect against some cancers and improve cognition,” continues Clarkson.

For those that have a plant-based diet, it can be trickier to get your omega 3 intake.

Foods such as flaxseed and walnuts contain , which the body finds harder to convert.

Thankfully, algae and seaweed are some of the best plant-based options for vegans and vegetarians to get the optimum amount of omega 3.

“Functional foods containing omega 3, such as oily fish, also have a benefit to our cardiovascular system and help to reduce inflammation,” says James.

Author:NeuroGym Team

Mindfulness Practice: The Who, What, When, Where, and Why

Every day is packed full of activities and distractions. It makes it easy to feel like your mind is full instead of being mindful. Now is the time to incorporate mindfulness practice into your daily life.

The Basics of Mindfulness 

Mindfulness has become a hot topic, but there is still some confusion about it. Let’s discuss the basics before we get into how you can make it part of your routine.

What Is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the practice of being aware of what you are doing at any moment without being judgemental. It requires conscious attention while letting go of distractions.

Buddhist and Eastern communities were the first to practice mindfulness. It was later introduced to the Western world and combined with other therapeutic techniques like mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. 

Why Is Mindfulness Important?

Daily life is busy with work, household responsibilities, staying fit, and socialization. It creates stress which results in anxiety and depression.

Mindfulness allows you to overcome these mental health concerns because it draws attention to your mental state. It encourages you to slow down, clear your mind, and concentrate on your current thoughts. All of this allows you to regulate emotions better.

Who Should Practice Mindfulness?

Everyone can benefit from mindfulness practice. It’s suitable from childhood right into old age. So yes, that means you can benefit from mindfulness too.

Mindfulness is especially helpful for anyone who feels their emotions are out of control or who is feeling overwhelmed by their current situation.

When Should Mindfulness be Used?

Mindfulness can be practiced any day, any time. In fact, many people use mindfulness techniques throughout their day, incorporating it into every part of what they do. This can seem like a lofty goal for a beginner, but it does help to make a little bit of time for it each day. 

Where is Mindfulness Practiced?

You can practice mindfulness at home, at work, inside, outside, or even in your car. Anywhere you go is suitable for mindfulness practice; all you need is yourself and your mind.

Learn More About Your Mind

The more you know about the mind, the more you can use it effectively. Mindfulness is just one aspect of this—there is still much more to learn.

Join us at the Brain-A-Thon  to find out how your brain works and how you can better leverage its abilities. Experience mindfulness and meditation in action, take control of your life, and steer it in a favorable direction! 

Preparing for Mindfulness Meditation

Meditation is something that you might incorporate into your day already. If so, you can take it a step further by joining the two concepts so that you are practicing mindfulness meditation.

First, you need to prepare yourself mentally for the process.

Make It Easy

It’s best to start small with your mindfulness practice. There’s no need to jump in and try and practice it the entire day. Even a few minutes every day is sufficient to help you reset your mind and have a calming effect on your nervous system.

You don’t need to commit to a time period either. Instead, commit to being mindful for a specific activity. For example, observe the unique details of a plant or listen to the sound of a bird chirping.

Acknowledge Distractions

Accept that you will get distracted during your mindfulness practice but realize that it’s not a reason to give up. Your mind may wander or something else could get your attention. When this happens, acknowledge the distraction, then turn your focus back to your mindful activity.

Observe Judgments 

It’s normal to start judging yourself when you become distracted. You might even experience intrusive or negative thoughts. Being able to step away from these judgments is crucial for mindfulness.

As soon as you realize you are judging yourself, take a deep breath, and name the thought or judgment. Observing thoughts in this way allows you to let go of negativity so that you can continue your journey.

Quick Mindfulness Exercises

Are you ready to be more mindful?

Great! Here are a few exercises you can try to help guide your mindfulness practice.

STOP for a Moment

The STOP technique is the ideal mindfulness exercise if you don’t have much time.

Follow these steps:

1. Stop doing whatever you are busy with.
2. Take several deep breaths.
3. Observe what’s happening in your body—your thoughts, emotions, and sensations.
4. Proceed with what you were busy with before.

This simple exercise allows you to break from what you are doing and become more aware of your thoughts and how your body feels. It requires conscious effort to slow down and be mindful.

Stay Motivated

Mindfulness can be helpful in maintaining motivation when you feel negative or uninspired. Mindful exercises allow you to center yourself and reignite motivation.

The following Innercise™ can help you to refocus and get ready for the task at hand.

Just Breathe

Concentrating on your breathing is one of the easiest ways to boost mindfulness. Breathing is essential to keep you alive, but it also plays a big role in awareness.

Do this breathing exercise for mindfulness, awareness, and to clear your head:

1. Sit or lie down somewhere comfortable.
2. Set a timer for one minute. Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Concentrate on how you feel emotionally and physically. Identify any sensations and thoughts.
3. Reset the timer. This time, focus on your breathing specifically. Feel your chest and abdomen expand as you inhale. Experience your body deflating as you exhale.
4. Reset the timer. Concentrate on how breathing uses your entire body. Shift your focus from one body part to the next as you breathe and feel the air circulating through you.

Stimulate Your Mind

Mindfulness practice and meditation require active use of your brain. Exploring the different ways you can use your mind is necessary if you want it to function optimally.

Learning about the brain can be intimidating which is why we created training that anyone can understand. Sign up now for NeuroGym’s live Brain-A-Thon so you can have this knowledge at your fingertips!

Daily Mindfulness Practice

Every time you are mindful, you stimulate your brain, which is why you should incorporate mindfulness in as many ways as possible. It doesn’t have to be difficult; even small acts of mindfulness will do.

Mindful Eating

Meals are often eaten in front of the TV or while using digital devices. Snacks and coffee are consumed while traveling from home to work or school. Eating in a rush or while multitasking means you aren’t being mindful.

When you practice mindful eating, you take the time to enjoy your food. You get a chance to smell, feel, and taste the food. It makes it possible to experience different flavors and textures, and you might realize you like something more than you thought.

Mindful Chores

Mundane tasks like doing laundry, sweeping, or grocery shopping are done without a second thought, but they are ideal for mindfulness. Take note of what you are doing instead of working on autopilot.

Smell the laundry detergent while doing laundry, listen to the sound of the broom as you sweep, and stick to only buying the items on your shopping list. Paying attention to what you are doing can stimulate your mind.

Appreciating the Little Things

Mindfulness is all about focusing on the task at hand and taking note of the little things in life. Whenever you feel your mind wandering or your motivation waning, spend a few minutes mindfully.

Use your senses to identify something you can smell, taste, feel, hear, or see. This is an activity you can do anywhere, anytime. As you draw attention to your surroundings, you also incorporate your body and brain, which intensifies mindfulness.

Using Innercise™ for Meditation

Mindfulness, meditation, and mental exercises have a shared goal: to stimulate the brain.

When this happens, your brain functions better. It copes well with daily stress, strengthens neural connections, and provides clarity. You learn to be compassionate and kind to yourself even when things aren’t going right.

Boost Your Brain

The more mindful you are, the more it becomes a habit. Besides daily mindfulness in small tasks, you also want to spend quality time on mindful activities or meditation.

Innercise™ is one of the best ways to meditate mindfully because it requires your undivided attention. It also focuses on switching off negative emotions, visualizing your success, and calming yourself intentionally.

Schedule a few minutes in the morning, evening, or during your lunch break to do Innercise™ like Take 6: Calm the Circuits, or Awareness, Intention, Action (AiA). The great thing is that our Innercise™ activities tell you exactly what to do, and some are guided meditations so they are suitable for everyone, even beginners.

Every time you are mindful, meditate, or do Innercises™, you take control of your mind and your future. It boosts your brain power and that has a domino effect in other areas of your life.

Unlock Your Hidden Mental Power

It’s the small things you do that have the greatest impact on your abilities. Mindfulness is one of those small things and practicing it frequently will add up to huge benefits.

This is just one part of the puzzle because there are many other ways to improve your mind, but it all starts with understanding how your brain works.

Our Brain-A-Thon event is the place to get all that information. Presented by top brain experts, this one-day experience teaches you to harness your mental power through mental stimulation like Innercise™ and meditation.

Reserve your free seat today and find out how to change your life!

By Hattie Parish

Summertime brings warmer days, longer nights and that feel-good factor, so there’s no better time to tune into our self-care routines. This is how you can make the most of the sunny season. 

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It seems we really are happier during summer.

A study from the University of Michigan found that warm weather improves mood, memory and creativity, while another study, published in the British Journal of Psychology, revealed that hotter temperatures have the potential to lower anxiety.

What’s more, with longer, warmer days, summer provides more opportunities to switch up your routine and enjoy what the season has on offer.

So, while enjoying the hotter months and switching up our routines, now is the perfect time to think about summer self-care.

What is self-care?

“Self-care describes and covers the deliberate things you do for the benefit of your mental, physical and emotional wellbeing,” said Belinda Sidhu, Head of Mental Health and Wellbeing at Vitality.

This will look different for everybody, but ensuring a well-balanced, healthy lifestyle is going to help. Crucially, “self-care isn’t about being selfish,” added Sidhu.

“Practising self-care can help you manage stress and anxiety and increase energy, and a general sense of wellbeing.”

And summer, according to Sidhu, is a great time to start introducing these practices into your everyday routines.

“Summer can be a good time to introduce the outdoors into our self-care regimes – as long as the British weather holds out,” said Sidhu.

“For example, try doing yoga outdoors, or swapping the treadmill for your local parkrun. Through this, we can also top up our vitamin D intake – which research suggests contributes to regulating our mood.”

Here’s how to capitalise on all that the season has to offer and make this your best summer yet.

1. Embrace the great outdoors

“Being in nature has huge benefits for our wellbeing; from reducing stress and anxiety to easing muscle tension and reducing blood pressure as we relax,” Sidhu added.

One study, which measured the influence of green environments on stress levels, found that those who strolled for just 20 minutes within a park or woodland setting were significantly more relieved of stress compared with those who walked in a city centre.

“During summer, we can also top up our vitamin D levels outdoors, plus sunlight is thought to help increase our serotonin levels. Serotonin, which is often called the ‘feel-good’ chemical, helps regulate our mood,” said Sidhu.

While the benefits of exercise for both body and mind are well documented, these are often heightened when exercise is taken outdoors. Studies have shown that outdoor exercise, compared with indoor activity, promotes greater feelings of revitalisation, positive engagement and improved self-esteem.

Make it happen:

• Embrace your local area – there might be woods to stroll in, coastline to explore or hills to hike.
• Limit your screen time – try to spend time outdoors without tech and enjoy the world around you.
• Find your local lido or wild swimming spot.
• Skip the bus; walk or cycle instead.
• Try a summer sport, like tennis or cricket.

2. Make the most of your morning

How do you start your day? With partial working from home the norm, too many of us are guilty of foregoing an energising morning routine in favour of a few more presses of the snooze button.

Not only does getting up and about set you up for a better day, it also ensures a more peaceful night’s sleep.

“Our eyes use and need light to help set our body’s internal clock, so early morning sunlight can actually help us to sleep better at night,” said Sidhu.

“This is because when we’re exposed to sunlight in the morning, our nocturnal melatonin production occurs sooner, so we enter sleep more easily at night.” (Melatonin is the hormone that naturally helps control our sleep cycle.)

Getting moving in the morning (when it’s a little bit cooler) can also help you beat the heat in summer and enjoy your exercise with a clear mind that is free from distractions.

One study found that morning exercise improves attention, visual learning and working memory, while another indicated that morning movement is associated with more physical activity throughout the day.

Make it happen:

• Unfurl your mat and make yoga a part of your morning routine. Even if it’s just ten minutes, focus on the breath and enjoy the stretch.
• Take a morning stroll, through a green space, if possible.
• The morning is a great time for reflection – try repeating affirmations, meditation or work on your gratitude list.
• Read – not the news or anything work-related, but something that you enjoy or that inspires you.

3. Get gardening

Gardening is well-known for being beneficial for our mental and physical health. “A report in the Mental Health Review Journal referred to gardening as being able to reduce stress and improve mood,” said Sidhu.

“Gardening can also contribute to non-exercise activity thermogenesis, or NEAT, meaning activities that utilise energy which aren’t specifically exercise.”

Make it happen:

• If you’re new to growing your own, plant some summer veg: runner beans and beetroot can be planted in summer.
• Not got a garden? Not to worry. Search online to join a community garden or sign up for an allotment – both are also great for socialising, and you can learn the secrets from other green fingers.
• Make any space your garden – window boxes, doorsteps and windowsills can all be planted with colourful petunias and geraniums.

4. Make socialising a habit

Feeling less confined to our homes opens the doors (literally) for more socialising in summer – and this has big benefits for our wellbeing. “Some studies show those who have social connections live longer and have a lower chance of developing heart disease,” noted Sidhu.

“Fostering social connections can help increase our mental wellbeing, reduce stress and develop a sense of meaning and purpose in life.”

Make it happen:

• Don’t fall into the socialising-equals-drinking trap. Instead, head to the beach, find an outdoor cinema, go strawberry picking, explore open gardens, or go on a bike ride.
• Try a new activity or learn a new skill with friends, a life drawing class or pottery making, For inspiration, search for workshops in your area.
• With the sun shining, you are less likely to want to rush home from the office. Set up a ‘weekly social hour’, a dedicated minimum one-hour slot on a set day every week where you meet up with friends.

5. Do what’s best for you

One of the most important ways we can practise self-care at any time, according to Sidhu, is by setting boundaries.

“While there are lots of benefits for socialising and getting out in the summertime, for some people, it might still feel overwhelming considering Covid-19 numbers are still high.

“Being kind to ourselves and practising saying ‘no’ when we don’t feel ready to go out and attend that summer barbecue can be just as helpful for our mental wellbeing.”