How are you doing??
Grand??
Are you though, are you really??
Let's face it, COVID-19 has caused a major global upheaval, and even though you might say you're ok, it's totally normal to be finding all of this more than a little stressful.
That's why all this week on Beat we're putting the spotlight on Minding Yourself! We know this pandemic had changed so much in such a short space of time and we want to make sure your body and mind are getting all the care and support they need.
All this week on Beat Michelle Heffernan speaks to experts in health and wellbeing and finds out how much this crisis has affected our daily routine. She speaks to specialists in sleep, nutrition, fitness, mental health and relationships and finds out simple things you can do to cope with all the uncertainty.
Tune in to Beat all this week and find out what you can do to Mind Yourself!
Episode 1: Sleep
Have you been tossing and turning, struggling to sleep? This global pandemic has wreaked havoc on your sleep routines and left a lot of u bleary-eyed and stressed. Michelle speaks to Dr. Ivana Rosenwig of King’s College London on how the COVID-19 crisis has affected sleep and why sleep is so important for our health. She also chats with author and sleep consultant Lucy Wolfe on what we can do to promote restful sleep.
Episode 2: Food
Are you struggling to socially distance from the fridge?
Food spending has increased massively in the last few months but are we eating the right foods for our health? Michelle speaks to dietitian Jemma Kehoe on what foods we need to boost immunity and how to win that battle with the biscuit tin.
She also speaks to Harriet Parsons from Bodywhys, about when a food problem becomes an eating disorder, and finds out where to get help for problems like Binge Eating Disorder.
Episode 3: Exercise
Are you using lockdown to work on your abs?
Us neither! A lot of us have lost our exercise routine and have been too stressed to reach for the dumbbells. But exercise is so important for our health, and now we can exercise anywhere in our county!
Michelle speaks to Personal Trainer Mags Murphy, and her daughter Ellen Power on the importance of exercise, starting off with basics, and how exercise really helped with Ellen's mental health.
She also finds out more on the beautiful parks and gardens now reopening for us to enjoy a healthy walk in - of which you can check out here.
Episode 4: Mental Health
The global pandemic has directly impacted physical health, but our mental health has also taken a hit.
Anxiety and depression are on the rise and it's totally normal for our emotions to feel overwhelming lately.
Michelle speaks to Clinical Psychologist Mark Smyth on how this crisis has affected our mental health and hears from Mindfulness Practitioner Ciara Hudson about how to cope with difficult feelings. Ian Power from SpunOut.ie also shares details of their text and online support services.
You can find a full list of mental health services here.
Find a registered psychologist here.
Avail of free text support 24/7 by texting SputOut to 086-1800280
Episode 5: Relationships
Lockdown kept some of us apart and put others on top of each other!
The pandemic placed a lot of stress on relationships, and couples and families have not had an easy time. Michelle speaks to Martin Davoren, Director of the Sexual Health Centre, about their new Guide to Navigating Healthy Relationships and managing conflict in close quarters.
She also speaks to relationships and sex therapist Natalya Price on how the pandemic has affected couples and seeks advice for those considering a new course for their relationship
Access the Guide to Navigating Healthy Relationships During the COVID 19 Outbreak here
