The people of Salford are being urged to look after their mental health throughout the easing of lockdown, ahead of this Saturday’s #NationalHappinessDay2021.

Saturday 20th March will see the ninth celebration of #InternationalHappinessDay2021.

Recent reports have shown that the UK is the 13th happiest country in the World, with Finland, Denmark and Sweden taking the top spots.

Manchester- based life coach, Laurence Knott, shared how we can continue to support our mental health towards the end of the lockdown. He said: “The one thing that can help us are habits, routines. Things we’ve been doing already…whether its exercise, nutrition, getting enough sleep… this is called the ‘Cornerstones of wellbeing’. And watch out for FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out).

“It’s about being kind to ourselves, some people will have anxiety about lockdown. Some people may feel overwhelmed with busy crowds and such. Don’t judge yourself, go easy on yourself… Let’s not leave anyone out – we are social animals and some people might just need reaching out to.”

He also reminded us of the benefits of exploring nature. He added: “Maybe we can use nature and the change in seasons to say ‘Hey, let’s be hopeful’. When we connect to nature, it brings out our innate happiness.”

With outdoor spaces proven to improve both mood and mental health, here are some local community areas to visit.

Buille Hill Park in Salford. Copyright: Google maps
Clifton Country Park in Salford . Copyright: Google Maps
Worsley Woods in Salford. Copyright: Google Maps

Dr. Gregory Warwick followed on from this and stated that: “Doing activities that are involved and keep us occupied. Contributing whether this is through work, volunteering, doing nice things for friends and family.”

Salford residents have also joined the discussion on social media.

One said: “Rock painting with Salford Rocks has made me smile lots, and post-lockdown I’m looking forward to dinner at the pub!”

Another commented: “painting/crafting/card-making/chatting with others – Looking forward to dinner at the pub too.”

For more information on how to support yourself mentally during the easing of lockdown visit: http://grahamsmallman.wordpress.com/

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