DR Rowan Myron is a Behavioural Psychologist and Associate Professor in Healthcare at the University of West London (UWL) and is helping everyone stay mentally well with some tips on how to boost your own wellbeing.

Dr Myron said: "January is when we begin to notice that the days are getting longer and the countdown to springtime has started.

"It's important that we all focus a little bit of time on our own wellbeing, to ensure we stay positive, uplifted and ready for the future.

"There are lots of small steps which we can take that will bring brightness to our lives and help us all to focus on what really matters."

TAKE FIVE MINUTES

Whether you are working through lockdown or juggling children and furlough - take five minutes for yourself.

Step away from screens, open the windows, step into the garden, balcony or even on the doorstep just to take in a breath of fresh air.

Our bodies need light and vitamin D that we get from daylight.

The rays do make it through the clouds.

STRETCH

Take a minute to stretch your body.

If you're usually hunched over a laptop or curled up watching television, your body needs to move.

Reach for the ceiling, bend over and see if you can touch your toes.

Research shows getting your body moving even a little bit helps your mental wellbeing.

BE MINDFUL

Mindfulness is something anyone can do, and it helps our mental wellbeing.

Take a moment to slow your day down and whether it's making a cup of tea or eating a meal – just take things at a slower pace.

Breathe and experience every sensation.

Think about each moment, the warmth of the kettle, the smells of tea and milk, experience each one slowly and carefully.

ENJOY

Take a moment to do something you really enjoy.

This could be reading a book, singing, knitting, dancing – anything, as long as it makes your heart happy.

You may not have time to read the whole book or complete a project in one go, but it doesn't matter – just take a small amount of time as regularly as you can to do something that feeds your soul.

CONNECT

Connect with others.

Living with so many restrictions is challenging, but we can still take some time to video call that friend we've not seen in a while, or that person we know may be spending a lot of time alone.

Connection is a basic human need and research has shown that we benefit from social connections.