Expanding your bubble – fostering mental health

Spending time with family, friends and community provides a sense of belonging and has a positive impact on your mental health.

An expansion of social interactions, under British Columbia’s second phase of its restart plan following the  COVID-19 outbreak, offers opportunities to spend more quality in-person time with your family and friends outdoors, while keeping a recommended physical distance.

Get outside: Enjoy the breathtaking beauty of our backyard in British Columbia. Spending time in nature can preserve and improve mental health by decreasing feelings of anxiety and depression, and improving general feelings of wellbeing⁷. Use this time to build new traditions and routines with your loved ones.

Gardening: Growing plants and being active outdoors, in a safe and supportive environment, can contribute to positive mental health outcomes. Round up your friends and family, and consider visiting UBC Garden Center, now open by appointment, to reap the benefits of exposure to plants and soil. Exposure to soil bacteria can act as a natural antidepressant, activating brain cells that improve mood, reduce anxiety and facilitate learning.

Art: Grab a canvas, some paint, and a few friends to host a virtual or an open-space paint night. Whether you have a specific painting in mind, are using a paint-by-numbers kit, or just feel like free flow painting, this is another unique way to get creative and feel connected to your social circle. Art is linked to facilitating mental health and can help reduce stress and anxiety.

References:

1. https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/blog/how-arts-can-help-improve-your-mental-health
2. Bellows, A., Brown, K. & Smit, J. (2003). “Health benefits of urban agriculture.” Community Food Security Coalition.
3. Husted, K. (2012). “Can gardening help troubled minds heal?” The Salt.
4. Hutchinson, S. (2011). “Physical activity, recreation, leisure and sport: Essential pieces of the mental health and well-being puzzle.” Recreation Nova Scotia & Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness.