Mental Health Awareness Week

This week is Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK, hosted by the Mental Health Foundation. This year’s theme is ‘Nature and Environment’, which aims to encourage us to reflect on the ways our relationship with the natural world has an impact on our mental health and wellbeing.

During the past year of lockdowns and long periods of time indoors, going for outdoor exercise and taking daily walks became a comfort for millions of people, across the world. Being able to spend time outdoors was one of the major factors in relieving the stress of the pandemic.

What can I do?

Here are some examples of activities you can do to reconnect with nature:

• Explore your nearest green space, or venture to a new one
• Go for a 30 minute walk in your neighbourhood, and see how many varieties of Spring flower you can see
• Weed the flower beds or plant some new seeds outside, or if you’re an indoor gardener then water and mist your houseplants
• Check in with friends and family to see how they’re keeping

If you’re shielding, isolating, or don’t have access to an outdoor space you can still take part. Mental Health UK’s plant a tulip campaign is encouraging the public to download or create your own tulip in blue, and hang it in your window as a symbol of mental health awareness and to start conversation.

Join the community online and share your stories of experiencing nature, using the hashtags #ConnectWithNature #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek #StormFlowersGarden