LOOKING AFTER YOURSELF ADVICE

Ready Scotland

Ready Scotland is the official channel of the Scottish Government’s Resilience Division. It provides advice on finding extra support, and the help available for community groups. You can also find information on helping in your community and the best ways to shop responsibly. 

Information on COVID-19 from Ready Scotland Ready Scotland on Twitter Ready Scotland on Facebook

Remember, when things are stressful it can be helpful to take a break from the news. Take some time to focus on looking after yourself and the people with you.

Create a healthy home routine

Even if you’re working from home, staying indoors and social distancing can lead to changes in your routine. This can have a negative effect on your mental wellbeing. Try to create a daily routine that helps everyone in your home to keep a sense of calm and order. You could:

• develop a routine for getting up and going to bed - The Sleep Council offers more information on getting a good night’s sleep so you feel alert and more positive during the day

• eat meals at regular times - BBC Food has recipes to try when you’re staying home and don’t have access to the ingredients you usually use

• set time aside for quiet personal time as well as shared activities - you could read, listen to music, start a diary, or do some relaxation exercises

• stay active – make a list of all the things you’ve been meaning to do at home and start working through it

• exercise at home, if possible

• try playing a video game with friends online, or playing board games and cards with the people staying with you

• schedule times to catch up with friends, just as you would if you were going out to meet them - there’s more information on staying connected later in this article

• try learning something new – there are free courses available on the OpenLearn website, suitable for all ages and education levels

NHS 24 Video on Mental Wellbeing & Coronavirus