In Ireland today, almost 20 months on from when COVID-19 first came to our shores, we are now potentially more health conscious as a nation than ever before.
Conversely during this difficult time we have likely become more unhealthy; treating ourselves to more unhealthy food, drinking more alcohol, and may have gained some weight as a result of our previous active healthy habits being curtailed.
Our awareness campaign from 2019 which was postponed due to COVID-19 had been renewed for this campaign.
Our latest healthy Ireland survey has told us that 90% of Irish citizens have a desire to make at least one change in their lives to improve their health and wellbeing. 51% report that they are either drinking more, smoking more, have gained weight or have experienced a decline in their mental health as a result of the restrictions.
For someone who wants to become healthier there are many messages and messengers to sift through to decipher what the most reliable information is. It can be confusing not knowing where to go to start or to get trusted information.
And that’s where Off the Couch campaign comes in. Healthy Ireland is a trusted source that will help you find easy to follow tips and advice from partners and experts, to get you started on your journey to better health.
We will give advice on how to start and stick to a healthy habit, with simple tips such as:
1. Start simple
2. Be specific
3. Be consistent
4. Get a friend involved
We also offer advice on Getting active , Eating well and Minding Your Mood, as well as signposting to relevant supports and resources.
For more advice on eating well, keeping active and looking after your mental wellbeing go to gov.ie/healthyireland