Supporting your wellbeing during COVID-19
COVID-19 is having a severe impact on many people’s health and wellbeing, and living and working through this unprecedented pandemic continues to be an extremely difficult and challenging time for many people.
We’ve produced the following guidance to help you look after yourself and your friends and family while we all adjust to living and working in new ways.
COVID-19 has now had a far reaching impact on people right across the world and it’s important during this time to take care of your mind as well as your body.
It’s natural to feel worried in unpredictable times. Try to keep things in perspective - public health agencies and experts in all countries are working on the outbreak to ensure the best possible care for those affected.
COVID-19 has also impacted on many of the normal coping strategies we use to deal with stress, and on the everyday activity that underpins our emotional wellbeing. During this time, we may need to be more creative and thoughtful about how we look after ourselves.
If you’re frequently having intrusive and negative thoughts, take a moment to assess how realistic these truly are. Reframing negative or unhelpful thoughts into more realistic statements can help you maintain a healthy dose of optimism.
You might find the following resources helpful:
Mindfulness and meditation can be really helpful tools for managing stress, anxiety and other mental health issues. If you’ve never tried them before, it’s easier than ever to get started. There are lots of resources available online:
If you find it more peaceful to be away from technology, try sitting comfortably in a quiet space for 5 to 10 minutes with your eyes closed, focusing on your breath and breathing slowly.
Keeping your mind active and learning new things is good for your wellbeing. And a perfect distraction during these challenging times.
It can be a good idea to:
It’s natural to feel anxious about what’s happening right now, but if it begins to feel too much, try to:
Stress is a part of everyday life. It can help us take action and work productively. But if our stress bucket becomes full, it can overwhelm us and impact negatively on our mental health.
Everyday stressors (like work, money and family) flow into that stress bucket like rain. But we also have ways of coping that allow this stress to flow out, like holes in the bucket.
But right now:
Draw your own stress bucket. What are some of the 'rain clouds'? And what are some of the 'holes'?
Having a routine is very effective at warding off anxiety and worry. You could:
Connections with other people are the bedrock of our mental wellbeing.
Though contact with others is challenged by current restrictions, it's more important to maintain than ever. You may not be able to pop round for a cuppa or meet with friends in the pub but you can still connect through:
It’s normal to feel worried or helpless about the current situation and how its impacting on you. Share your concerns with people you trust. It may also help them to talk about it.
Or, if you're feeling isolated from other people, there are helplines and online forums where you can find a listening ear.
Social distancing is about physical distance, not emotional distance.
Helping others is a great way of boosting your wellbeing. And now is a time when giving to others can make a real difference.
There are a large number of volunteering opportunities to support the COVID-19 response, like being an NHS responder. But also the opportunity to help practically, like shopping for a neighbour and so on.
One of the most important things you have to offer right now is your time. Make contact with others, reach out, check-in to show you care.
Older adults, especially those in isolation and those with cognitive decline/dementia, may become more anxious, angry, stressed, agitated or withdrawn during the outbreak or while in quarantine.
You can help by:
While it's normal to feel afraid and lonely at a time like this, worsening mental health could indicate the need for outside help. It’s okay to ask for more support to see you through this difficult time.
If you find yourself with very poor mental health while isolated and aren't able to pull yourself out of feelings of anxiety, depression, or fear, it’s important to reach out for help:
Plan how you will continue accessing treatment and support for any existing physical or mental health problems, if possible.
Thoughts of suicide are not uncommon – a lot of people will have them - around 1 in 5 of us during our lifetime. Having these thoughts doesn’t make it inevitable that you are going to take your own life. Thoughts of suicide do pass and there are things that you and other people can do to make your situation better.
If you are having thoughts of suicide, focus on what you need to do to keep yourself safe for now. Visit Preventing Suicide in Sussex to learn more about what practical steps you can take to keep yourself safe.
This can include:
If you feel you can’t keep yourself safe any longer, or if you have done something to harm yourself – call 999 now. The number is free.
Financial wellbeing is also important in managing your mental health:
Being alone doesn’t come naturally to everyone. If you’re used to surrounding yourself with friends and family or even prefer the company of strangers, learning to appreciate the joys of being by yourself may take time.
Having friendships and a strong social support system is important for your mental health and wellbeing, but having some time to yourself may help you appreciate those connections all the more.
Research increasingly shows there are real benefits to finding things to do by yourself. Through solitary pursuits, you learn more about yourself and reflect on your experiences.
This could be the perfect opportunity to take up a new hobby, read those books you always wanted to read, pick up that guitar that has been gathering dust in the corner.
Being on your own can:
While it may feel like this period of solitude will last longer than you might normally be comfortable with, there will come a time when you'll be back to your usual routines. One way to feel less alone now is to take positive actions now for the future.
You could:
You could think about tasks on your to do list that you've been avoiding, like:
Our libraries may be closed but there are some great online services available to everyone who lives or works in the city.
Free eBooks, eAudiobooks, eMagazines and eComics for all library members! Anyone who lives, works or studies in Brighton & Hove is entitled to join. You can view what's available on the library website.
If people are not yet members, then you can register for a library card online. We will give you a temporary membership number and PIN. You will then be able to use the library's eServices.
If you need help you can send an email to libraries@brighton-hove.gov.uk.
While it's natural to focus on managing your mental wellbeing during a crisis, we sometimes forget that our physical and mental health are closely related.
Whether it’s a few star jumps in your bedroom, yoga, dancing or walking, exercise helps get the adrenaline out of your system and channels any stress or anxiety you may feel.
Very importantly, it will also keep the body well in terms of heart and lung, bone and muscle health. This can:
Evidence tells us that prolonged periods of sitting are not good for our health. So it's important to try to move around your home as much as possible.
Can you stand up each time a TV advert break comes on? Can you walk up and down the stairs for a few minutes before sitting down for lunch?
Stay active indoors. There is a wide range of online or TV exercise programmes, for all ages. Or develop your own indoor workout, set yourself challenges and plan a daily routine.
Our Healthy Lifestyles team shares a lot of useful online content throughout the day which can help people of all ages keep moving. They also create online content, including the Active for Life Challenge and Stretching with Vanessa.
Find out more about how to stay active at home.
Check the Brighton & Hove Healthy Lifestyles Facebook for updates on activities.
To help you stay fit while isolating, you can follow:
Find more information and advice about how to stay active at home during the Coronavirus pandemic.
Getting outdoors for some fresh air can really help with your wellbeing and green spaces, especially boost our wellbeing. Go out for a walk or run, spend time in your garden. Within current guidelines we can all exercise outdoors for up to one hour:
You should also stay local wherever possible, and avoid areas that you know can get busy.
If you need a bit of extra motivation to get outside and get walking, you could try the Healthwalks World Walking Challenge. It lets you put your steps and miles walked towards a virtual walking challenge to Everest!
You can put any walks, done on your own or with your household or support bubble towards the walk challenge, and chat and share virtually with other local walkers along the way.
Find out all the ways you can get involved in the Healthwalks World Walking Challenge.
We've also produced a series of walking challenges designed for children and people with learning disabilities. From front door colour bingo to nature spotting, you can find the walking challenges on Facebook.
Or if you don't have Facebook, you can send an email to healthylifestyles@brighton-hove.gov.uk and we'll send them to you in a printable format.
Whenever you’re exercising, please do so with caution and only if you feel well enough.
Read advice from the NHS on warming up before exercise and cooling down (stretching) after exercise.
Cycling is one the government's recommended forms of exercise that can be done safely while social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
If you want to cycle more while following current guidelines for safe physical distancing, you'll find the following resources useful to help you on your way (especially if you're a key worker who can travel to work by bike).
The council's online cycle map will show you the fastest, quietest and balanced routes using a way-finding function.
Ride Healthy has hints, tips and advice on getting back on your bike so you can ride safely and confidently.
Love to Ride is an online platform and mobile app that encourages cycling.
Use the Highway Code rules for cyclists for guidance on road junctions, roundabouts, crossing the road and more.
Sustrans is a charity making it easier for people to walk and cycle.
Cycling UK is a national cycling charity. Its mission is to enable more people to cycle. Visit the website here and use their resources to plan cycle and walking routes.
Zedify is a Brighton based zero-emissions delivery company that uses e-cargo bikes for first and last mile deliveries and local deliveries in Brighton & Hove.
Bicycle M-check and Learn to Ride - learn how to look after your bicycle by following the M-check system. There is also a useful video showing you how to do this.
Find cycling shops that are currently open in Brighton & Hove and are supporting NHS staff and other key workers. Please contact the shops and service providers directly to find out opening times and how they are currently operating.
Sleep is crucial to our overall health and wellbeing – we spend up to a third of our lives sleeping.
A continuous stretch of 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night is recommended, although studies suggest that sleep quality (continuity and depth of sleep) has a greater impact on good daytime functioning than overall length of sleep. Just one night of poor quality sleep can negatively affect your attention span, memory recall and learning ability.
Lack of sleep in the longer term can increase the risk of stress, anxiety and depression, while physical effects include an increased risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and other chronic illnesses.
Sleep problems often resolve themselves within a few weeks, but longer stretches of bad sleep can start to affect our lives and work, and impact on our health in the short and longer term.
What are the signs of poor sleep?
Top tips for better sleepStick to a sleep schedule – going to bed and waking up at a similar time each day helps regulate your body clock. Avoid napping in the afternoon if you have problems sleeping.
Get active – being physically active can help you sleep better, and doing gentle exercise before bed may also help.
Watch what you eat and drink – alcohol, caffeine, some soft drinks and foods such as chocolate can affect sleep. Cut down on caffeine after 2pm and avoid heavy, spicy, or sugary meals before bedtime.
Cut down or quit smoking – nicotine is a stimulant so it may take longer to fall asleep or your sleep may be disrupted.
Reduce screen time – avoid bright lights and any electronic devices for an hour or two before bed to help separate your sleep time from too much stimulation.
Establish a bedtime routine – help your body shift into sleep mode before bed with calming activities like having a warm (not hot) bath, reading, listening to the radio or quiet music.
Create a restful sleeping environment
If you often need sleep during the day, remember:
Don’t lie awake in bed for hours feeling stressed. Try getting up and do something you find relaxing until you feel sleepy again, then go back to bed.
Write down your thoughts - set aside time before bed to make a list for the next day, which can help. If you have work-related worries you could chat to a colleague or your manager.
If problems with sleep are persisting and affecting your daily life and health, talk to your GP.
Alternatives to supermarket shopping include local veg and food deliveries. Please note that as demand is high for food supplies, the independent suppliers may also be at capacity and unable to provide a delivery as soon as you’d like.
Local suppliers still operating include:
Changes to our routines can be a time when unhealthy habits can start to develop, or they can be good times to make small changes to improve your health.
Eating well, drinking enough water and keeping active in lockdown are important to support your health and wellbeing.
For many of us home working is now the standard. Here’s a few simple ways you can focus on improving your wellbeing, while still being productive.
It's helpful to:
Give yourself some slack. Adapting to home based working takes time. Be patient, and be kind to yourself.
This is a challenging time. Show interest in the people around you. Show you care, through asking questions about how they're thinking and feeling. Don’t be afraid to ask twice if you are worried. Check in, and continue to check in.
In the absence of face to face contact, it’s more important than ever to find other ways to check-in, to keep contact and to offer support to those around us.
During periods of social isolation, it might feel more difficult than ever for people to look after their mental health.
For some, the mix of COVID-19 related anxiety, social isolation and pre-existing mental health problems could be particularly difficult to cope with.
The current situation may also have taken away some people’s previous coping mechanisms, and their access to face-to-face support.
We can all play a role in helping people whose mental health is at risk. Showing you care, offering support and a listening ear can all go a long way.
As well as offering practical and emotional support we can help others by making them aware of the range of services and support still available to:
On our website, you can request help for yourself or someone else.
The current situation and uncertainty will lead to heightened levels of anxiety for many people, and potentially in the longer term to a range of mental health problems if people don’t get the early support they need.
You might see:
They may experience:
Being there to listen and to provide emotional support can be a lifesaver.
If you’re worried that someone you care for may be feeling suicidal, it can be really hard to know what to say to them, or how to help. But thinking about suicide does not make it inevitable that someone is going to take their own life.
All of us have the ability to support someone who is experiencing thoughts of suicide, and to save lives.
Trust your gut instincts. If you are at all concerned that someone is having thoughts of suicide:
In addition to the general signs of mental health problems listed earlier someone having thoughts of suicide might:
Talking about suicide with someone can feel nerve-wracking but the best thing to do is ask directly. “Are you thinking about suicide?”
This will not put ideas in their head and will show them they don’t have to struggle alone with these overwhelming thoughts.
Preventing Suicide in Sussex has more information on how to help someone with thoughts of suicide.
Download the Stay Alive app. This app is a pocket suicide prevention resource, packed full of useful information to help you stay safe.
You can use it if you are having thoughts of suicide or if you are concerned about someone else who may be considering suicide.
It also includes a safety plan, customisable reasons for living, and a life box where you can store photos that are important to you.
The smallest displays of kindness, like picking up the phone to check in on someone, and the conversation that follows, could make the difference.
When you're listening:
The National Institute for Health Care and Excellence (NICE) defines distinct phases Covid-19 patients may experience after infection:
NICE defines 'Long Covid' as follows:
Your Covid Recovery is an online rehab service from the NHS offering general information and advice on recovering from Covid-19.
The service has been developed by experts representing a wide range of professional bodies and societies alongside people who have experienced Covid. It will support you to restore your physical and emotional well-being.
View our coronavirus information web pages.
The Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM) has published guidance on returning to work after recovery from Covid:
The sudden change in children and teenager’s routine, combined with the COVID-19 crisis will be unsettling. Younger children might find it difficult to understand what’s happening and why everyone is so worried. But there are lots of things we can do to look after children’s mental health and wellbeing during this crisis.
Children often adopt the coping strategies they observe in their parents. Parents who grow anxious during a pandemic may end up witnessing their children develop anxiety along with them.
You might find the following helpful for supporting your children:
Our Healthy Lifestyles team have started work on '5 days to wellbeing' on Facebook, offering messages and activities each day.
Children may not talk directly about COVID-19 but still check-in with them.
Explain it's normal to feel scared or unsure.
Be honest, speak calmly, use age appropriate language.
Re-assure them that elderly family members are being looked after.
Pay attention to individual worries, these may seem trivial to you, but may feel important to your child.
You don’t need to have all the answers, if you don’t know you can find out together.
Explain how they can help, like with good hygiene and social distancing. Tell them how this can keep them and others stay safe.
It's helpful to:
If your child is still going to school and you have any concerns about their emotional or mental wellbeing, you’re invited to talk to a Primary Mental Health Worker from the Schools Wellbeing Service.
Telephone consultations are available while schools are closed. Send an email to SWSConsultationLine@brighton-hove.gov.uk or phone 01273 293 481.
You’ll need to give details of your name and phone number and a Primary Mental Health Worker will call you back. While we aim to call back within 2 days, we may have a high demand, so your patience is appreciated.
This is not a crisis number. If you need immediate support:
For other sources of support, please visit Find Get Give – mental health and wellbeing services for young people, parents and carers.
Family learning is a council-funded service providing local parents with the chance to learn new skills for the benefit of the whole family.
We're currently running free family wellbeing courses online, including:
...and many more.
We give priority booking to parents with low or no qualifications, but we can offer places to other local parents where we have space.
To find out more about courses, dates, times and how to sign up, visit our family learning online classroom.
There is a helpline to answer questions about coronavirus related to education. Staff, parents and young people can contact the helpline in the following ways (open Monday to Friday - 8am to 6pm):
Young people can use:
And if you're worried about a young person, you can use Young Minds Parent Line which provides advice for parents and carers worried about a young person. To get in touch, phone 0808 802 5544 between 9.30am and 4pm Monday to Friday.
The Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists has released official guidelines to outline information for pregnant women and new mums surrounding the recent outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19):
Are you looking after someone, without being paid, who due to their health condition, disability, substance misuse, or mental ill health, needs regular practical, personal, physical or emotional support?
If so, then we’d consider you to be an unpaid carer.
Caring for someone while trying to maintain a life of your own can be challenging as well as rewarding. We understand the importance of the role you’re providing and want to support you.
Around 1 in 6 people living in Brighton & Hove provide regular unpaid support to family or friends who need help. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is estimated that 1 in 3 people nationally are providing essential care and support.
Carers can be of any age, including children, adults and older people.
Watch a thank you to carers for Carers Week 2020
If you’re worried that you or someone you look after may be at risk, NHS 111 can offer direct guidance and they have set up online coronavirus help.
Call 111 if the symptoms of the person you care for become severe and let them know you’re a carer.
As the situation with COVID-19 continues to evolve, it's important to know what support is available locally to you as a carer and for those you look after.
The Carers Hub is a local service created for all unpaid carers.
They provide a range of services including information, advice, peer support, the carers card (a discount card which entitles you to cheaper travel, shopping and more), and specialist assessments which can potentially lead to accessing respite options or carers’ personal budgets.
Please contact them and find out how they can support you:
Get further information on local support available to carers
If you’re under 18 years old and providing regular care to another child or adult, please contact the Young Carers Project, as they have a range of specialist support for you – no one should be caring alone.
Do you have a backup, contingency or emergency plan for if you’re unable to provide care?
Locally we have a carers emergency backup scheme, which supports carers to develop contingency plans. Additionally there is national guidance from Carers UK, and from the Government during the COVID-19 pandemic.
You can also access the Carers UK Digital Offer which has information, e-learning opportunities and give you use of the Jointly App.
Jointly combines group messaging and to-do lists with other useful features including medication lists, calendars and more, enabling you to communicate and coordinate with those with whom you may be sharing caring responsibilities. The Brighton & Hove code is BHCC_JT75.
If you’re juggling caring with work, both the local Carers Hub and the national organisation Employers for Carers offer support to both employees and employers to help unpaid carers.
Our local access code, which you will need to set up an account, is #EFC1769.
Relate are the UK’s largest provider of relationship support.
Many of Relate’s services including relationship counselling, individual counselling and sex therapy are now available via webcam. Call 0300 003 0396 to book an appointment. You can also access telephone counselling via the same number and you can access live chat allowing you to talk to a trained counsellor via instant messaging.
If you’re being abused or think you could be, make sure you get support from Relate to stay safe.
Staying in can help save lives, but for some people, home doesn't feel safe.
If you have been affected by domestic or sexual abuse and violence you can talk to someone and get support from:
This is a worrying time for us all, but particularly for adults and children living with domestic violence, or who have experienced stalking or sexual abuse. Risks will be heightened and you may be feeling that you are trapped or that your mental health is suffering as a result of being at home more. Or you may be worried about your own behaviour towards a partner or family member and need support to address this.
At home shouldn’t mean at risk. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse don’t suffer in silence. Police response and support services remain available to help and advise you.
If you have been affected by domestic or sexual abuse and violence you can talk to someone and get support from:
If it is not safe for you to speak you can use the Silent Solution system - call 999, and if the operator hears no response, you will be directed to press ‘55’ if you need help. The conversation will then continue in a way that allows the caller to communicate by using yes/no to answer questions.
The Respect Phoneline is an anonymous and confidential helpline for men and women who are harming their partners and families.
Further advice and support options relating to domestic violence and abuse.
This is a stressful time for everyone - usual routines have changed for many of us and we may have lost structure in our day, which can make it easier to develop unhealthy habits.
It's important to keep an eye on our alcohol consumption. To keep health risks to a low level, men and women should not exceed 14 units a week, spread over 3 days or more. If you're pregnant or under 18, the safest advice is not to drink anything. It's easy to check your consumption of alcohol units online.
Alcohol can have a negative impact on various aspects of our life such as sleep, mental health, weight, sex, health, parenting and so much more. Now is a good time to be more conscious of how much you’re drinking.
If you're worried you may be drinking too much, this quick quiz from Alcohol Change may help you.
In light of the spread of Covid-19, it's even more important than usual for people who smoke to quit. If you smoke, you're less protected against the virus and at greater risk of:
In fact, evidence tells us that smokers who get Covid-19 are 14 times more likely to suffer from a serious respiratory infection than non-smokers.
The council’s Health Trainers are continuing to offer behavioural support to smokers (including pregnant smokers) via telephone sessions. Medication to help you stop smoking will continue to be available.
To make a referral for yourself or someone else, please complete our online referral form. We aim to respond to all general enquiries within three working days and all referral enquiries within 10 working days.
If you need to talk to us sooner or would like to discuss the service with the Healthy Lifestyles Team, please call us on 01273 294 589. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
Get further inspiration and resources to help you quit smoking from Today is the Day.
These resources cover some of the different situations and emotions bereaved people may have to deal with.
Cruse Bereavement Care have a particularly helpful guide to dealing with bereavement and grief during coronavirus.
Employers should consider that everyone deals with death differently, and each employee’s needs will be different. Supporting an employee can help them feel valued and reduce their stress or anxiety.
It’s good practice to:
If someone is upset they might not be able to talk for long, or someone else might contact you on their behalf. If this happens, it can help to follow up with an email, or call them a few days later.
Communicating in a calm, empathetic way can help employees feel supported, valued, and help ease their anxiety about work.
In the first few days after a death it’s important to communicate with the employee.
When you get in touch, it’s good practice to ask:
Be careful not to pressure them into making any decisions before they’re ready.
ACAS have some helpful resources on managing bereavement in the workplace and keeping in touch with an employee during absence.