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Melo – Helping to support your mental wellbeing this winter

With the days getting shorter, evenings getting darker, and weather getting colder – many of us may have noticed a shift in our recent energy levels, mood and motivation.

Everyone experiences ups and downs but if the ‘downs’ are persistent, severe, and affect everyday life it is important that we seek help.

There is information on what you can do to improve your mental health and wellbeing or where you can go for advice/support on the Melo website.

Melo is a website containing approved information and advice, FREE resources and courses to help improve and protect mental health and wellbeing.

Melo was developed by the Aneurin Bevan Gwent Public Health Team in collaboration with partners, including people with lived experience.   

Our Melo website has recently been significantly improved, and now includes:

  • Signposting to local opportunities to improve emotional and mental wellbeing, and services which support people with their mental health.

 

  • Improved website accessibility with our ReachDeck toolbar, which offers translation to over 100 different languages, text to speech dictation, text magnifying options, reduced screen glare options and much more.

 

Practical advice for well-being this Winter

Winter can be a tough time for lots of us, but it’s important to remember there are a variety of things we can all do to improve well-being and resilience.

The ‘Five Ways to Well-being’, are five simple ways in which everyone can protect and improve their own well-being.

Learn more about each of the Five Ways to Well-being below, with ideas of how you can incorporate them into your daily routine this winter.

Connect

With the people around you – friends, family, colleagues, and loved ones. Building these connections will support and enrich you every day.

  • Set up a group chat with friends to plan some fun winter activities
  • Call up an old friend or someone you have not spoken to in a while
  • Make a Christmas playlist for someone in your life and chat about it together
  • Reduce your screen time when you are with other people, try to put the phone away and have a chat face-to-face

Be active

Exercising makes us feel good. Find a form of movement you enjoy and that suits your level of mobility and fitness.

  • Try out a morning stretching routine incorporating gentle movement each day
  • If you can, get outside for some sunlight – even for just 5 minutes on your lunch break
  • Go for a crisp winter walk in your local area and experience the natural beauty around you
  • Try out a new exercise class, or even better ask a friend to join you

Take notice

Being present in the moment helps us to reflect on our experiences and appreciate what matters to us.

  • Be curious – look out for and appreciate the changing colours of nature around you
  • Savour the moment, whether you are walking to work, eating lunch or talking to friends
  • Take up a mindful indoor hobby like journaling or knitting

Keep learning

Learning new things helps increase our confidence, as well as introducing us to fresh ideas and perspectives.

  • Rediscover an old interest or hobby
  • Test out a new winter recipe in the kitchen
  • Try a new DIY or art project
  • Set a challenge you will enjoy achieving – why not take a look at our range of 60 free courses on Melo?

Give

Seeing ourselves, and our happiness, linked to the wider community can be incredibly rewarding.

  • Do something nice for a friend, or a stranger
  • Give thanks to, and compliment, the people around you
  • Try to shop locally so you can help small businesses
  • Donate or volunteer your time to a cause in your community

It is so important we look after ourselves and those around us this winter.

You can’t pour from an empty cup, so take some time wherever possible to make space for you and prioritise your mental wellbeing during this busy season.

For more information on mental well-being, read our Top 10 tips for Mental Wellbeing article.