Halton and St Helens Mental Health Directory

January's Top Tip: Make Time for Friends.

The Health Improvement Team in St Helens is offering a 'top tip' every month in 2008 to enhance your mental health and to help you to make this year a happy and healthy one.

January's top tip is: 'make time for friends'.

Friends are really important.

Make time each week to meet up with people you share common interests with and enjoy being around. Let your hair down and have fun!!!

Relationships with other people are very important and research shows that they are good for your physical and mental health.

Here are some ways you can make time for friends in 2008:

· Arrange to meet up with friends at a set time every week for coffee and catch up. Protect this time for you and your friends and don't allow your busy schedule to take over. You deserve a break!
· Take your lunch break with colleagues at work
· Say hello to your neighbours
· Write to, email or telephone old friends and see how they are
· Join an evening class and meet new friends that share common interests
· Be there for friends in times of difficulty. You never know when the favour will be returned
· Join a gym or a fitness class and get physically fit while meeting new people
· Take the dog for a walk with your neighbours / family

For more information about making time for friends this year contact:
Mark Swift, Health Improvement Specialist - Mental Health & Wellbeing,
Halton & St Helens Primary Care Trust.Tel. 01744 697 433 Email. markswift@sthelens.gov.uk