As part of our recent focus around Mental Health awareness, we caught up with Nya Chambers, our sponsor Notts County Womens FC Striker and #7.
We asked Nya how she had been coping with the current COVID-19 pandemic:
Keeping Active - is a big part of your lifestyle. Regular exercise can boost your self-esteem and help you concentrate, sleep and feel healthy. What physical activities have you been conducting during the lockdown period ?
I've been going on long bike rides with family & friends. I have also been doing regular fitness sessions with the team online. Me and my brother have also been training together to stay fit over the lockdown period.
Regular Communication – Talking about your feelings and regular communication with friends and family can help you stay in good mental health and help you deal with times when you are troubled. How often have you interacted with friends and family during lockdown and how does this change your outlook on life?
Lockdown for me hasn't been too bad in relation to the social aspect as I work and therefore still have interactions with other people. I also have the luxury to live right next door to my grandma, so whilst I can't go into her house I can still talk to her and see her from a distance daily. The restrictions lockdown has implemented has made me realise how football is really important to me and the social side of the team.
Healthy Diet – Our brains need a mixture of nutrients in order to stay healthy and function well just like the other organs in our body. A diet that’s good for our physical health is also good for our mental health. Have your eating habits changed or deviated during the COVID Pandemic?
Before lockdown, I never really used to eat breakfast as often as I should! However now I have started to begin a better routine with my meals and ensuring I get the right nutrition through the day. It has made me feel a lot better from a physical aspect but also an improvement in mental health and feeling healthier.
Drinking (Alcohol) Sensibly – We often drink alcohol to change our mood. Some people drink to deal with fear, loneliness and escapism, but the effect is only temporary. Have you noticed an increase in the units consumed during the lockdown period?
I don't really drink, so not consuming alcohol during lockdown hasn't really effected me that much. If anything it has probably reduced my units as there are not the social occasions happening that there were before Lockdown was implemented.
Ask for help – No matter what walk of life we come from, at some point in our lives we will all need help from family or friends. If things are too much, It is important we ask for help. Do you feel as if you have a close network of people you could reach out to in times of need?
I believe that I have strong bonds with people in my team and therefore if i ever have any problems, I would feel confident in sharing them, knowing i would receive good advice. I also have a good relationship with my Mum and Brother and the same goes, i'd ask them for help too. It's really important that we know that it is ok to talk and to share our worries with those close to us.