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Looking after your mental health and winter wellbeing | Lucy Clementson-Mills

Meet Lucy – a professionally trained yoga teacher, wellbeing trainer, high-performance coach and HR consultant, based in Cardiff.

Lucy started Yoga Three60 to support people to look after their wellbeing. To enjoy a simple way of getting back to their natural state of balance, health and happiness.

With colder months and shorter days now underway, we speak to Lucy about yoga, mental health and wellbeing.

When life is busy, how do you manage your own wellbeing?

For me, there are certain things I know if I don’t do I don’t feel at my best. It is doing the things which I know help me such as going to bed early, getting up early to do yoga, taking my dog for a walk in the fresh air before the day starts. I also benefit from eating whole nutritious food – when I don’t eat well I really feel the impact on my mental health.

Does yoga benefit your own mental health?

When I start to feel anxious or stressed that’s when yoga really helps. I find the breathing exercises very beneficial. When you are concentrating on postures and focusing on the breath, your mind doesn’t wander – you are in the present moment not thinking about what’s coming or feeling sad about the past. You’re just mindful and present in that moment and what’s going on with your body. I think that’s why yoga is so beneficial to mental health – it invites you to be in the present moment and connect with the body.

Do you find any other practices/approaches beneficial for your mental health?

Getting outside with nature has a massive impact on my wellbeing – I find if I haven’t been outdoors I don’t feel at my best. Exercise is also super important as well as eating healthy.

With winter now underway, many people experience struggles with their mental health. What would you recommend to keep the blues at bay?

Throughout winter it is so easy to not stay active when it’s cold outdoors – but you can always roll out your mat and practice some yoga indoors which helps look after your whole wellbeing.

I also think it helps to embrace this time of year rather than fight it – even though is cold it can feel good to get outdoors, wrap up warm and feel the wind on your face.

Connecting with people and spending time with friends and family is super important as well.
I also like to embrace the winter comforts such as warm soups, curling up with a cup of herbal tea and having an early night – knowing summer isn’t too far away!

I know for some though seasonal affective disorder really does impact their life and if that is the case I would always recommend talking to a professional.

Is there anything you find difficult throughout winter and how do you manage this?

I really struggle with the cold weather, especially with dry skin. I look after myself by drinking lots of water and eating nourishing soups. I find anything hard or dry such as crackers, raw vegetables etc really hard to digest and my body struggles to break it down. Nourishing from within definitely has a massive impact on my mental health and wellbeing.

Lucy runs regular classes in our studio space at Breathe including beginner yoga and baby yoga

Find out more here