Health and wellbeing

It is important to look after your health and wellbeing, especially if your health is being affected by stress from the cost of living crisis.

The organisations below offer free support and advice to anyone you know who is struggling.

Mental Health

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood through to adulthood.

Mental health problems are very common and there is lots of support available. Most conditions do get better with treatment and many people recover completely.

Take notice of your health

If you are experiencing one or more of the following it could be an early sign that you need to speak to your GP:

• Eating or sleeping too much or too little
• Withdrawing from friends, family and activities you usually enjoy
• Yelling or fighting with family and friends
• Constantly feeling tired or like you have no energy
• Feeling numb or like nothing matters
• Unexplained aches and pains
• Feeling helpless or hopeless
• Smoking, drinking, or using drugs more than usual
• Feeling unusually confused, forgetful, emotional, angry or scared
• Experiencing severe mood swings
• Having persistent thoughts and memories you can’t get out of your head
• Hearing voices or believing things that are not true
• Thinking of harming yourself or others
• Struggling with normal tasks, like getting to work or school

Managing finances as the cost of living increases can place a significant strain on mental health. Help and support is available to help manage this stress and pressure:

Mind (Mental health advice and support)
0300 123 3393 | info@mind.org.uk

Mind provides advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. Mind also campaigns to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding of mental health.

Talking Therapies

Talking Therapies is a friendly and approachable NHS service. They treat common issues like depression, stress, anxiety, or phobias. If you’re aged 17 and over and living in Berkshire, it can help you overcome the mental health and emotional wellbeing problems you’re facing.

Find out more about Talking Therapies in Berkshire.

The service is available for contact 8am to 8pm Monday to Thursday, and 8am to 5pm on Fridays.

Food and Good Nutrition

Love Food Hate Waste provides helpful hints, tips and guidance to help you get the greatest value from your food.

Eat well, spend less (British Dietetic Association) – this food fact sheet will give you some ideas to help you to eat well and keep costs down

Eating healthy on a tight budget (British Heart Foundation) – 6 top tips

Budget Friendly Recipes (HEART UK), provides some recommended lower-cost healthy recipes to consider.

If you are struggling with the cost of food visit our help with food costs page for help.

Torch Wellbeing Cafes is an organisation promoting Wellbeing Cafe’s hosted by local churches. These are safe spaces where “it is ok not to be ok”.

Dates, times and locations of events are on their website.

Telephone: 0118 380 0260
Email: help@torchhub.org.uk

Leisure Activities

Leisure – Reading Borough Council

Keeping active and finding ways to take a break from everyday life are an important part in helping to maintain good health and wellbeing. We have a broad range of leisure activities and services for residents to access and enjoy. This includes some free and discounted activities.

Things to do in Reading.

A list of Parks, Outdoor Facilities & Open Spaces including play areas in Reading.

Reading Swimming, Sport & Leisure Centres. You will need a membership, you can get one of these for free by following the link to Better website, click on buy membership, select your home centre. When you are asked to choose your membership, select single payment then choose from one of the free memberships. This will give you up to 30% Discount on activities & services. 

Active Reading including sport facilities and opportunities to take part.

Reading Libraries a list of all the libraries and resources in Reading.

Sport in Mind have an interactive map of free activities you can take part in.