Expert comment Last updated 14 May 2018
Reducing the use of technology and increasing social interactions can help improve your mental health a Birmingham City University academic has said.
Kim Moore, former NHS Mental Health Nurse and Senior Lecturer in Mental Health at Birmingham City University, has given her views on how to help improve mental health to mark Mental Health Awareness week (May 14 – 20), and suggests putting our phones away and spending more time with the family could be beneficial.
She also highlights the importance of regular rest and not taking our stressful lives for granted in contributing to improved mental health.
Kim Moore, Senior Lecturer in Metal Health at Birmingham City University, said:
“We can’t afford to neglect or ignore our mental health by thinking ‘it will never happen to me’. Our daily lives are filled with moments that are stressful as we rush from one task to another that many of us forget to stop and look around us. So we take our stressful lives for granted thinking we can continue in this way without any problems.
“There are small things that we can do to help improve our mental health and wellbeing by connecting to the world around us. Take a minute and feel the sun on your face, listen for the birds singing, sit down with a friend for a chat.
Mental Health Awareness week runs from Monday 14 May to Sunday 20 May and is an annual awareness week aimed at encouraging more open conversations around mental health.