Videos and Best Practice – Relaxation

Thematic area: Sleep Country: England

Objectives:

The objective of the practice is to educate and guide people regarding the importance of sleep and the promotion of mental and emotional wellbeing. The approach is based on enabling participants to develop strategies to achieve good sleeping patterns

Actions:

The NHS the major provider of health services across the UK uses a web-based design to inform participants through psychoeducational materials to promote healthy sleep. The website utilises an audio guide to introduce people using the resource to what they can do to promote a good nights sleep.

They have 10 tips for a more restful nights sleep:

1. Keep regular sleep hours : Going to bed and getting up at roughly the same time every day will programme your body to sleep better. Choose a time when you’re likely to feel tired and sleepy.
2. Create a restful sleeping environment : Your bedroom should be a peaceful place for rest and sleep. Temperature, lighting and noise should be controlled so that your bedroom environment helps you to fall (and stay) asleep. If you have a pet that sleeps in the room with you, consider moving it somewhere else if it often disturbs you in the night.
3. Make sure your bed is comfortable : It’s difficult to get restful sleep on a mattress that’s too soft or too hard, or a bed that’s too small or old.
4. Exercise    regularly    :    Moderate    exercise    on    a    regular    basis, such as swimming or walking, can help relieve some of the tension built up over the day. But make sure you do not do vigorous exercise, such as running or the gym, too close to bedtime, as it may keep you awake. Find out more about how to get active your way.
5. Cut down on caffeine : Cut down on caffeine in tea, coffee, energy drinks or colas, especially in the evening. Caffeine interferes with the process of falling asleep, and also prevents deep sleep. Instead, have a warm, milky drink or herbal tea.
6. Do not over-indulge : Too much food or alcohol, especially late at night, can interrupt your sleep patterns. Alcohol may help you to fall asleep initially, but it will disrupt your sleep later on in the night.
7. Do not smoke : Nicotine is a stimulant. People who smoke take longer to fall asleep, wake up more frequently, and often have more disrupted sleep.
8. Try to relax before going to bed : Have a warm bath, listen to quiet music or do some gentle yoga to relax your mind and body. Your GP may be able to recommend a helpful relaxation CD.
9. Write away your worries : If you tend to lie in bed thinking about everything you have to do tomorrow, set aside time before bedtime to make plans for the next day. The aim is to avoid doing these things when you’re in bed, trying to sleep.
10. If you cannot sleep, get up : If you cannot sleep, do not lie there worrying about it. Get up and do something you find relaxing until you feel sleepy again, then go back to bed. Make an appointment to see your GP if lack of sleep is persistent and it’s affecting your daily life.

Sleep at regular times :

First of all, keep regular sleeping hours. This programmes the brain and internal body clock to get used to a set routine.

Most adults need between 6 and 9 hours of sleep every night. By working out what time you need to wake up, you can set a regular bedtime schedule.

It is also important to try and wake up at the same time every day. While it may seem like a good idea to try to catch up on sleep after a bad night, doing so on a regular basis can also disrupt your sleep routine.

Make sure you wind down :

Winding down is a critical stage in preparing for bed. There are lots of ways to relax:

• a warm bath (not hot) will help your body reach a temperature that’s ideal for rest.
• writing “to do” lists for the next day can organise your thoughts and clear your mind of any distractions.
• relaxation exercises, to help to relax the muscles. Do not exercise vigorously, as it will have the opposite effect. relaxation CDs work by using a carefully narrated script, gentle hypnotic music and sound effects to relax you.
• reading a book or listening to the radio relaxes the mind by distracting it.
• there are a number of apps designed to help with sleep. See the NHS Apps Library
• avoid using smartphones, tablets or other electronic devices for an hour or so before you go to bed as the light from the screen on these devices may have a negative effect on sleep

The sleepstation website also provides a range of useful articles and resources designed to aid sleep.

Make your bedroom sleep- friendly :

Your bedroom should be a relaxing environment. Experts claim there’s a strong association in people’s minds between sleep and the bedroom.

However, certain things weaken that association, such as TVs and other electronic gadgets, light, noise, and a bad mattress or bed.

Keep your bedroom just for sleep and sex (or masturbation). Unlike most vigorous physical activity, sex makes us sleepy. This has evolved in humans over thousands of years.

Your bedroom ideally needs to be dark, quiet, tidy and be kept at a temperature of between 18C and 24C.

Fit some thick curtains if you do not have any. If you’re disturbed by noise, consider investing in double glazing or, for a cheaper option, use earplugs.

It can be a good idea to keep a sleep diary. It may uncover lifestyle habits or daily activities that contribute to your sleeplessness.

If you see your GP or a sleep expert they will probably ask you to keep a sleep diary to help them diagnose your sleep problems.

A sleep diary can also reveal underlying conditions that explain your insomnia, such as stress or medicine.

Strengths:   Multiple target groups can Access the resource through the NHS Website and it also has further hyperlinks to reinforce the message and broaden the inquirer’s knowledge and strategies to achieve good sleep.

Weaknesses:   Multiple target groups must have the means of access to the internet to access the resource.

It depends on the intrinsic motivation of the person to access the resources.

Website: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/sleep-and-tiredness/how-to-get-to-sleep/

Social media: https://twitter.com/NHSuk/status/1362057904422010880

Contact point: https://www.nhs.uk/

Thematic area: Relaxation Country: England

Objectives:

The objective of the practice is to educate and guide people regarding the promotion of a breathing exercise to mitigate and reduce stress as part of a strategy to promote mental and emotional wellbeing. The approach encourages participants to utilise the skills suggested

Actions:

The NHS the major provider of health services across the UK uses a web-based design to inform participants through psychoeducational materials to utilise breathing to reduce stress. The website utilises a brief introductory guide:

This calming breathing technique for stress, anxiety and panic takes just a few minutes and can be done anywhere.

You will get the most benefit if you do it regularly, as part of your daily routine.

You can do it standing up, sitting in a chair that supports your back, or lying on a bed or yoga mat on the floor.

Breathing Exercise for Stress

Make yourself as comfortable as you can. If you can, loosen any clothes that restrict your breathing.

If you’re lying down, place your arms a little bit away from your sides, with the palms up. Let your legs be straight or bend your knees so your feet are flat on the floor.

If you’re sitting, place your arms on the chair arms.

If you’re sitting or standing, place both feet flat on the ground. Whatever position you’re in, place your feet roughly hip width apart.

• Let your breath flow as deep down into your belly as is comfortable, without forcing it.
• Try breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. Breathe in gently and regularly. Some people find it helpful to count steadily from 1 to 5. You may not be able to reach 5 at first.
• Then, without pausing or holding your breath, let it flow out gently, counting from 1 to 5 again, if you find this helpful.
• Keep doing this for 3 to 5 minutes.

Strengths:

Multiple target groups can Access the resource through the NHS Website.

Weaknesses:

Multiple target groups must have the means of access to the internet to access the resource.

It depends on the intrinsic motivation of the person to access the resources. There are no supporting hyperlinks to other resources

Website: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/ways-relieve- stress/

Social media: https://twitter.com/NHSuk/status/1277527162644574209

Contact point: https://www.nhs.uk/

Thematic area: Relaxation -Mindfulness Country: England

Objectives

The objective of the practice is to educate and guide people regarding paying more attention to slow things down so as not rushing through life without stopping to notice. The approach is based on inviting and enabling participants to consider and develop strategies to use Mindfulness.

Actions:

The NHS the major provider of health services across the UK uses a web-based design to inform participants through psychoeducational materials to promote a range of health and wellbeing strategies.

The resource is introduced as:

It can be easy to rush through life without stopping to notice much.

Paying more attention to the present moment – to your own thoughts and feelings, and to the world around you – can improve your mental wellbeing.

You can check your mood using this simple mood self-assessment quiz.

Some people call this awareness “mindfulness”. Mindfulness can help us enjoy life more and understand ourselves better. You can take steps to develop it in your own life.

What is mindfulness?

Professor Mark Williams, former director of the Oxford Mindfulness Centre, says that mindfulness means knowing directly what is going on inside and outside ourselves, moment by moment.

“It’s easy to stop noticing the world around us. It’s also easy to lose touch with the way our bodies are feeling and to end up living ‘in our heads’ – caught up in our thoughts without stopping to notice how those thoughts are driving our emotions and behaviour,” he says.

Actions (2nd part):

“An important part of mindfulness is reconnecting with our bodies and the sensations they experience.

This means waking up to the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of the present moment. That might be something as simple as the feel of a banister as we walk upstairs.

“Another important part of mindfulness is an awareness of our thoughts and feelings as they happen moment to moment.

“It’s about allowing ourselves to see the present moment clearly. When we do that, it can positively change the way we see ourselves and our lives.”

How mindfulness helps mental wellbeing

Becoming more aware of the present moment can help us enjoy the world around us more and understand ourselves better.

When we become more aware of the present moment, we begin to experience afresh things that we have been taking for granted.

“Mindfulness also allows us to become more aware of the stream of thoughts and feelings that we experience,” says Professor Williams, “and to see how we can become entangled in that stream in ways that are not helpful.

“This lets us stand back from our thoughts and start to see their patterns. Gradually, we can train ourselves to notice when our thoughts are taking over and realise that thoughts are simply ‘mental events’ that do not have to control us.

“Most of us have issues that we find hard to let go and mindfulness can help us deal with them more productively. We can ask: ‘Is trying to solve this by brooding about it helpful, or am I just getting caught up in my thoughts?’

“Awareness of this kind also helps us notice signs of stress or anxiety earlier and helps us deal with them better.”

Mindfulness is recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) as a way to prevent depression in people who have had 3 or more bouts of depression in the past.

Notice the everyday:

“Even as we go about our daily lives, we can notice the sensations of things, the food we eat, the air moving past the body as we walk,” says Professor Williams. “All this may sound very small, but it has huge power to interrupt the ‘autopilot’ mode we often engage day to day, and to give us new perspectives on life.”

Keep it regular:            

It can be helpful to pick a regular time – the morning journey to work or a walk at lunchtime – during which you decide to be aware of the sensations created by the world around you.

Try something new:

Trying new things, such as sitting in a different seat in meetings or going somewhere new for lunch, can also help you notice the world in a new way.

Watch your thoughts:

“Some people find it very difficult to practice mindfulness. As soon as they stop what they’re doing, lots of thoughts and worries crowd in,” says Professor Williams.

“It might be useful to remember that mindfulness isn’t about making these thoughts go away, but rather about seeing them as mental events.

“Imagine standing at a bus station and seeing ‘thought buses’ coming and going without having to get on them and be taken away. This can be very hard at first, but with gentle persistence it is possible.

“Some people find that it is easier to cope with an over-busy mind if they are doing gentle yoga or walking.”

Name thoughts and feelings:

To develop an awareness of thoughts and feelings, some people find it helpful to silently name them: “Here’s the thought that I might fail that exam”. Or, “This is anxiety”.

Free yourself from the past and future:

You can practise mindfulness anywhere, but it can be especially helpful to take a mindful approach if you realise that, for several minutes, you have been “trapped” in reliving past problems or “pre- living” future worries.

Different mindfulness practices:

As well as practising mindfulness in daily life, it can be helpful to set aside time for more formal mindfulness practice.

Mindfulness meditation involves sitting silently and paying attention to thoughts, sounds, the sensations of breathing or parts of the body, bringing your attention back whenever the mind starts to wander.

Yoga and tai-chi can also help with developing awareness of your breathing.

Information:

You can watch this short mindful breathing exercise video on YouTube from Every Mind Matters. Be Mindful is an online course for reducing stress, anxiety and depression.

Strengths:

Multiple target groups can Access the resource through the NHS Website and it also has further hyperlinks to reinforce the message and broaden the inquirer’s knowledge and strategies to achieve good sleep.

Weaknesses:

Multiple target groups must have the means of access to the internet to access the resource.

It depends on the intrinsic motivation of the person to access the resources. As Professor Williams states:

“Mindfulness isn’t the answer to everything, and it’s important that our enthusiasm doesn’t run ahead of the evidence,” says Professor Williams. “There’s encouraging evidence for its use in health, education, prisons and workplaces, but it’s important to realise that research is still going on in all of these fields. Once we have the results, we’ll be able to see more clearly who mindfulness is most helpful for.”

Website: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/mindfulness/

Social media:  https://twitter.com/mindful_nhs

Contact point: https://www.nhs.uk/