As part of our everyday lives we are constantly bombarded with adverts, videos and discussions about how to maintain and achieve good physical health – weather it be six-pack abs, eating gluten-free, or whether we are all getting enough sleep. The thing is – we all know how to get there! We know that if you eat healthy you will lose weight, we know we need sleep otherwise we fall asleep at our desks and we know that if we exercise our bodies will change.

The problem is – do we know how to achieve good mental health?

Teaching people that mental health is just as important as physical health is something I am passionate about and promote through my work. With this in mind it was so refreshing to see that through the Heads Together Charity, HRH The Duchess of Cambridge has spoken out about this very importance.

I recently gave a talk in an elite Ballet School in Surrey, (although I was slightly nervous) this was an extremely mind opening afternoon, The pupils at the school were, quite rightly, fully aware with what they had to do physically to cope with the demands of their profession, however, many didn’t know how to answer, when asked what they should be doing for their mental health.

There are many ways you can help yourself to good and positive mental well-being:

1. Surrounding yourself with supportive relationships and supportive peers
2. Emotional awareness of yourself and others
3. Being kind to yourself and others
4. Eating well and making sure you are getting the right nutrition for your needs
5. Sleep – I am a great believer in sleep and how it helps to clear and re-charge the mind
6. Optimism – always look at what you do have not at what you don’t and you are halfway there
7. Exercise is a fundamental part of mental well-being, everyone is different in what exercise they enjoy, it relieves stress, improves memory, helps you sleep better, and boosts overall mood
8. Happiness and laughter, we all know you can’t we laughing 24 hours a day, but where you do laugh – savour the moment

Of course you can’t do all of the above in one go, but putting just a few in place slowly should see you well on your way to good mental health.

Good mental and physical health in one go…IMAGINE THAT!