What is mental wellbeing?

Your mental wellbeing is about how you're feeling right now, and how well you can cope with daily life. Our wellbeing can change from moment to moment, day to day, or month to month. Sometimes it changes because of things that happen to us and sometimes it changes for no reason at all. It can affect the way we feel about ourselves and others, and about the things we face in our lives.

Why is my wellbeing important?

Having good wellbeing can help you to:

• feel and express a range of emotions

• have confidence and positive self-esteem

• have good relationships with others

• enjoy the world around you

• cope with stress and adapt when things change.

Good wellbeing doesn't mean you'll always be happy. It's normal to feel sad, angry, or low sometimes. But if you have had poor wellbeing for a long time you might start to find things more difficult to cope with.

What can affect my wellbeing?

We're all different, so what affects your wellbeing may not be the same for somebody else. But some common things are:

• difficult or stressful life events

• your relationships with the people around you

• the care and support you get at home and school

• your physical health

• how much sleep you get

• what you eat and drink

• if you take drugs or alcohol

• if you have any health problemsyour environment

• housing conditions

• how you are treated by others

• money problems

• being able to recognise and communicate your emotions.

You may experience difficulties in one or more of these areas, or even experience problems not listed here. That's okay. Everyone is different.

How can I look after my wellbeing?

However your wellbeing is at the moment, there are things you can do to look after and improve it.What helps you now may not be the same as what helps you in the future. Try what you feel is comfortable and right for you, at this moment.

Here are our top tips to look after your wellbeing:

• Get creative

• Learn something new

• Be active

• Eat healthily

• Get enough sleep

• Help others

• Do things you enjoy

• Connect with others

• Do things to help you relax

• Ask for help if you need it