The winter months can be a challenging time for many of us and our mental health. Shorter days resulting in less light, cold and sometimes extreme weather can influence our mood and make it difficult to go about our daily lives. Combined with external pressures such as financial strain and post-Christmas fatigue, this time of year can take a toll on our wellbeing.
A survey conducted by the Met office in 2022 highlighted that 41% of people find the winter to have a negative impact on their mental health. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is committed to supporting individuals during this period, offering a range of mental health services, expert advice, and resources to help people manage their wellbeing.
Viki Laakkonen is a Consultant Psychiatrist and Chief Medical Officer for Mental Health at Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. Acknowledging this and highlighting the resources available, she said: “We know this time of year is tough for many people, our services are here to help.
“Looking after your mental health has never been more important and even a few small things can help us be more resilient to deal with challenges.
“Learning how to reframe things, how to be more mindful or even just recognising how much better we feel by simply being outside can really help. Across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight there are whole range of services that can support you to do this. The most important step is to reach out if you need to.
“January is often a time when we see a surge in referrals to our mental health services. Our teams are here to provide support and guidance to help people navigate this period and move forward with renewed resilience.”
If you’re struggling with your mental health at this time of year it is important to seek help as soon as possible.
Across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight there are lots of ways to support yourself or a loved one – from self-care to talking therapies to urgent crisis support.
The trust recommends the following practical steps to protect your mental health:
- Reframe your thoughts: Unhelpful thought patterns can affect how we feel and act. Learning to recognise, challenge, and replace these thoughts can significantly improve mental health.
- Be in the here and now: Avoid getting caught up in worries about the future or things you can’t control. Take a moment to pause and focus on the present—what you see, hear, and feel. This is known as being more mindful.
- Get a good night’s sleep: Quality sleep can make a huge difference. Keep regular sleep hours, create a calm bedtime routine, and avoid caffeine or alcohol before bed. More tips can be found here: Sleep problems - Every Mind Matters - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
- Be aware of your limits with constant negative news: Constant exposure to bad news can affect your mental health. ‘Doom scrolling’ – the act of constantly scrolling through negative news stories – can have a significant impact on our mental health. It may be a good idea to mute or turn off news notifications on your smartphone or limit your news intake to reading a morning paper or watching the evening news.
- Connect with others: Spend time with friends or family, talk about how you’re feeling, or find ways to help others. Strong relationships are key to better mental health.
- Live a healthy life: Our mental health goes hand in hand with our physical health and there are small changes we can make to take care of both. Being active, enjoying the outdoors and having a healthy, balanced diet can all help to boost mental wellbeing. Also, binning bad habits like smoking, and cutting down on alcohol and caffeine can have a positive effect on our mood. You can find support of how to do this on the Live Well website.
- Do something for yourself: When we don’t feel our best, it can stop us from doing enjoyable activities but it’s important to find the time to do things just for you. This might be your favourite hobby, learning something new or simply taking time to relax. Allowing yourself to figure out what hobbies or activities make us happy can help to boost your mood, lower stress, and build confidence.
NHS Talking Therapies provide free, confidential support for adults experiencing common mental health challenges such as stress, anxiety, or depression. Services include:
• Online computer-based therapy.
• Group therapy and workshops.
• Self-help tools.
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and other structured therapies.
• Employment support for individuals whose mental health affects their work life.
These services are accessible in groups, online, over the phone, or face-to-face, ensuring flexibility to meet individual needs. Visit www.talkingtherapieshiow.nhs.uk to self-refer.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, it’s important to seek immediate help:
- Immediate danger: if someone’s life is at risk call 999 or go to the nearest Emergency Department. Mental health emergencies are as serious as physical health emergencies.
- Urgent support: if you need urgent mental health support, but it’s not life-threatening, you can contact the NHS 111 service. They can connect you to mental health professionals who provide 24/7 support.
- Local crisis services: Hampshire and Isle of Wight residents can access crisis support through local services. For information visit: https://hiowhealthcare.nhs.uk/help-crisis
