Real life experiences

Lived experience

The quotes below are examples from real people discussing their routines and the effects they have on their lives.

'I find that having a routine, especially a morning one, can help to ensure that my day is calmer and more productive. I like to meditate in a morning in order to refocus my perspective and I enjoy having five minutes of quiet. I also recognise the importance of eating breakfast as it helps me to think clearer and contributes positively to my mental wellbeing. My mental health certainly starts to spiral when I lose track of my routine. Having a routine helps me to feel in control and reduces uncertainty.'

Personal experience

'I was looking after my landlady’s dog when she was away on holiday. This meant that I had to wake up at seven every morning to take the dog on a walk, come rain or shine. This helped me in a number of ways, for example, by helping me adjust my sleep pattern into a better routine whereby I went to bed earlier and woke earlier. In addition I was also getting exercise from the walk itself, and as I didn’t have a camera with me I was able to be fully mindful and appreciate any wildlife without worrying about photographing it!'

Personal experience

'I started wild, sea swimming approximately 2 years ago, after seeing something on the local news. I have always loved swimming, especially in the sea when abroad, and knew I had to give it a go and I am so glad I did. I absolutely loved it, although granted that first dip was very, very hard and was so unbelievably cold that it was painful. Thankfully, I persevered and now I am hooked. I now regularly swim in the North Sea usually 2 to 3 times a week. I attend a monthly mental health swimming group and have met some amazing people, each of us with our own motivation for taking up cold water swimming. I normally swim early morning, at sunrise, and no matter how stressed or weighed down I feel before going into the water, as soon as I take that first step into the cold sea, my mood and stress levels lift.'

Personal experience

If you would like to know more about lifestyle factors, see our Lifestyle and Recovery Series. Find it in the courses section of this website. It includes information around sleep and relaxation, nutrition and wellbeing, exercise, drugs and alcohol, mindfulness of daily life and the role of goal setting. This information can help you to think about what positive changes you could make to your routine.