Take some time to consider how much media exposure you need to enable you to feel informed on the current situation, whilst also considering the right level to protect your mental wellbeing.

Also recognise that when we focus in on positive news stories, we stimulate Serotonin, which encourages us to access to the intellectual part of our brain where we can make a realistic assessment of the situation, seeing the positives and the negatives in perspective and context.  This enables us to come up with a solution that we feel confident in and that will help us get the best outcome.

Actively making a plan can minimise feelings of panic and overwhelm and create a sense of being more in control, which is a great Dopamine generator.

Writing down the things we are grateful for everyday (and they don’t have to be big things!) helps the brain to focus on what we have rather than what we don’t have, which increases Serotonin.

This simple act has been shown through many scientific studies to have a huge impact on our levels of stress and anxiety, because when we intentionally think of things that are positive, we encourage access to our intellectual brain.

Reminding ourselves of what we know, what we can do and the benefit of the experiences we’ve had are all things that impact positively on our mental wellbeing.

Understanding how we contribute to the lives of others also provides us with a sense of identity and purpose, which enhances Serotonin and reminding us how we make a difference to others, provides us with a feeling of accomplishment which generates Dopamine and increases our confidence.  The better we feel about ourselves, the more likely we are to have a positive view of our life and future goals.

When we sleep properly, our brain re-runs the events of the day and processes them before we slip into a deeper more restorative sleep pattern.

This is the part of our sleep pattern that we call R.E.M (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep and it is designed to enable us to process all the stress and worries that have accumulated in our metaphorical stress bucket during the daytime, so that we wake up without yesterdays stresses.  When this process works well, our Serotonin levels are stabilised, but when we don’t get enough sleep we are unable to empty our stress bucket and this can lead to it overflowing, which causes us to lose access to our intellectual brain and, in effect, our ability to find solutions.

The good news is we can also manufacture extra R.E.M. through guided relaxation – click here to listen to our free relaxation recording.

There have been many studies on the connection between our mental wellbeing and our interactions with nature. Being outdoors boosts levels of our Happy Hormone serotonin, helping to lift our spirits and if we combine that with movement and/or exercise, we activate Endorphins too, with help with easing the effects of physical and emotional pain.

Also, by practicing mindfulness and consciously noticing our surroundings and what’s going on in the present moment we can keep our minds from dwelling on past situations or from worrying about the future.

Getting outside everyday can make a huge difference to our mindset, whether that be finding a shaded spot to work in the garden, lunch on the balcony or simply a walk around the block.

A positive action can be as simple as listening to some feel-good music. Studies have found that listening to music encourages our brain to release the ‘feel-good’ neurotransmitter, dopamine – one of the key ingredients in our Happy Hormone cocktail.

Dopamine literally drives our brain’s reward system, urging us to seek pleasure and motivating us to achieve goals. It also regulates our emotional responses, enabling us not only to identify where rewards might be, but also to take action to move toward them.

So, turning up the feel-good tunes really does help to make us feel happier and more motivated.

In the same way we have basic needs for food, water and shelter, we also have a basic need for connectedness and when we interact positively with people and especially with our loved ones we release Oxytocin (otherwise known as the ‘love’ or ‘hug’ hormone), which makes us feel connected. This helps manage our stress response because it makes us feel supported and cared for and as a result, increases our confidence – and when life becomes challenging, this helps us cope.

So, now is the time to message, phone and video call your family, friends and colleagues and check they’re OK, and to reassure them that you’re keeping well too.

When we are kind to or help others, positive physiological changes associated with happiness occur in the brain and these changes are often followed by longer periods of calm. Helping others also reduces feelings of isolation and increases our sense of belonging, which enhances Oxytocin levels.

In addition to this, making a point of smiling consciously when we encounter people (at home, in the supermarket, from a distance online, or over the garden fence) can have quite a significant effect on how we feel.

The act of smiling sends a signal to our brain that we are happy (even if we don’t feel particularly happy!), and triggers the release of our Happy Hormone Serotonin, which makes us feel happy.

And, smiling is contagious too. So, if you pass on one thing, let it be a smile!

In our normally, hectic, day to day life we are often so focused on work and our other commitments that we don’t have much time for play.

Making time for play as an adult has many benefits, including, inducing happy hormones, relieving stress, improving brain function, increasing creativity and enhancing our sense of connection with others. Play can also make us more productive when we are working!

You might choose to play with your pet, your kids, your partner or your house mates but we can also continue to connect with a play with friends, family and work colleagues online, over the phone, or via video calls.