Counselling is a ‘talking therapy’ which gives you the opportunity to explore issues which are causing you concern or distress. If you are ready to seek counselling to address whatever challenges you are facing, you should not be embarrassed. Talking about feelings can be hard at the best of times and asking for help is not a sign of weakness. For many people the fear of being stigmatised by others often leads them to avoid seeking professional help for mental health issues. People who go to counselling are finding a treatment for their mind and emotions, the same way a doctor would treat your body. A good counsellor will listen without judgement and help you to develop coping skills to process emotions and feelings in a healthy way.  

The Counselling service is available to both staff and students during the current pandemic. Staff can also continue to access the University Employee Assistance Programme section of Staffnet.

The women of today live very different lives and face different stresses and responsibilities. Due to contraceptives and perhaps illness our cycles may be different too. But fundamentally our needs haven’t changed. Every woman deserves the best healthcare, and their needs will change at different stages of their lives. 

For more information on Periods and Menopause

For many people, looking after a terminally ill partner, friend or family member at home is “just something they do”. They don’t think of themselves as the person’s carer.

Carers are responsible for looking after people who need help due to disability, illness or frailty. They work with both young and old people meeting various needs in their day to day life. These workers help with shopping, making meals, laundry, dressing, cleaning, washing, and other duties.

Caring can be a hugely rewarding experience but carers often find it challenging to take care of their own wellbeing whilst caring. Its impact on all aspects of life from relationships and health to finances and work should not be underestimated. 

Looking after your own health and wellbeing can help make sure you have the energy to look after your friend or family member. Remembering to take breaks when you can and finding time to do things for yourself is very important. You could try to build in some time for yourself into your day - even if it's just for 10 minutes. You might relax with a book, enjoy a hot bath, call a friend - whatever makes you feel good.

More information.

June 15-21st 2020 is Men’s Health Week where the focus is on getting men to become more aware of health problems they may have or could develop and support them to take positive steps to address them.

You will find the Men’s Health Forum Man MOT here it has Do-it-Yourself health checks and challenges. The MOT takes you through a set of checks and challenges you to get healthier. There are 25 challenges in all.

Look at the section How’s your head? You will find a set of questions asking you to say how you feel- not what you think or know, but what you feel. Be honest! There’s a set of challenges towards improving mental health.

More information. 

Share your achievements over the week at: wellbeing@abdn.ac.uk or UoaStaffWellbeing on Facebook.

June is Bike Month and we are encouraging and inspiring people to take up cycling as a form of exercise and as a form of transport.

Cycling is a great way to keep fit and active. It is also great for your mental health and wellbeing. During the month of June, we will be sharing facts, inspiration and information about bikes and cycling. We will also participate in the national celebration of cycling during Bike Week. Please join us by grabbing your bike and going for a ride. 

For facts and tips on cyling safety and suggested cycling routes visit Active Travel.

This year Mental Health Awareness Week focused on kindness. The Mental Health Foundation chose kindness as the topic because research has helped us to understand more about the powerfulness of kindness and the relationship this has to our mental health.

Acts of kindness seem such a personal experience, but we know they are really powerful in strengthening our relationships, reducing isolation and building communities. During Mental Health Awareness Week, we took time to reflect on acts of kindness we have experienced and how it made us feel, we took the time to reach out to others and reminded ourselves just how important it is to take care of not just our own mental health but other peoples too.

Talking about your experiences of mental health can help to remove stigma and make you feel less alone. We all need help sometimes, so don't hesitate to ask when you need it, or to assist someone when you can. 

Please take some time to watch some of our incredible staff and students opening up about their experiences of mental health last year in this short video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOaPmVDznwE

#StepThisMay

Exercise is not all about getting a "perfect" body, living in the gym or running a 5k every morning, there are a lot of other benefits to physical activity. Take the quiz to see if you can guess what other positive benefits there are.

Join our step challenge during National Walking Month this May.

Walk, dance or clean your way to good health and feel the benefits that even small steps can make. Regular walking inproves mood, reduces anxiety, aids sleep and keeps your heart healthy. In line with the governments advice to stay at home and to only participate in one form of exercise per day (walking, running or cycling) we may need to get creative to get our steps in.

How will you make yours count?

• Walk/Run 1 mile = 2,000 steps
• Cycle 30 min = 7,000 steps
• Gardening 30 mins = 3,500 steps
• Housework 30 mins = 2,500 steps
• Dancing 30 mins 3,000 steps
• Yoga 30 mins = 2,700 steps
• Painting/Decorating 30 mins = 3,000 steps
• Washing Car 30 mins = 3,000 steps
• Joe Wicks Workout = 4,000 steps
• Cleaning Windows = 3,500 steps
• Create a TikTok dance video = 2,000 steps
• Bonus Points for dressing up and sending pics = 10,000 steps

To get involved you can sign up to the Happy Feet challenge to submit your weekly step total. 

You could also use this challenge to help students affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. More information. To support our COVID-19 525 Appeal, just log your steps, donate £5.25, and then nominate your colleagues to do the same.

Don't forget to like our UoAStaffWellbeing and Student Life pages on Facebook to see regular updates on the leader board.

Stress is the feeling of being under too much mental or emotional pressure. It can affect how you feel, think, behave and how your body works. You may have physical signs (such as headaches, tense or sore muscles, or trouble sleeping), emotional signs (such as feeling anxious or depressed), or both.

It's important to recognise the symptoms of stress early. Recognising the signs and symptoms of stress will help you figure out ways of coping. Healthy habits, including regular physical activity such as walking, can help reduce or prevent some of the harmful effects of stress. Many people find exercises that focus on breathing and muscle relaxation can also be helpful.

Ways to deal with stress

Resources

Housebound Movement Challenge Bingo

Take part in the Housebound Movement Challenge Bingo.There are physical, mental and social activities to take part in along with prizes to be won for the best photo with the funniest caption and a special prize for the most innovative team activity. 

You should provide evidence by uploading at least 4 photos showing your participation throughout the month of April and aim to complete 18 squares. Your photos may be used for future promotional purposes.

• Best photo prize – funniest caption
• Special prize - most innovative team activity

Completed bingo card and photos to be emailed to the wellbeing team by 24th April at wellbeing@abdn.ac.uk

Download the Bingo Card and take part

Thursday 5^th March is University Mental Health Day, join us as we inspire conversations and get talking about student mental health.

University Mental Health Day brings together the university community to make mental health a university-wide priority and create ongoing year round change to the future of student mental health.

To find out more about mental health problems and how they can affect us visit MIND

Your food choices each day affect your health. Try to make the effort to eat well, eat regularly, and enjoy what you eat.

Why not try some of these simple changes to your diet:

• Make half your plate fruit and vegetables.
• Switch to whole grains.
• Try fat-free or low-fat milk.
• Choose a variety of lean proteins.
• Swap sugary drinks for water.

Keeping hydrated is crucial for health and well-being, but many people do not consume enough fluids each day. If you’re feeling thirsty you’re already dehydrated so don’t wait until you need a drink, sip small amounts throughout the day to keep yourself hydrated. The body is affected even when you lose a small amount of fluid.

World cancer day is the ideal opportunity to spread the word and raise awareness of cancer in people’s minds and the world media. This global event takes place every year on 4 February and aims to save millions of preventable deaths each year by encouraging individuals to take action.

More than one third of cancers can be prevented. Another third can be cured if detected early and treated properly. Through raising awareness we can reduce fear, increase understanding, dispel myths and misconceptions, and change behaviour and attitudes.

More information

Thursday 6 February is time to talk day so lets get involved to help end mental health discrimination. Choosing to talk about mental health breaks down barriers and can save lives.

We want to encourage everyone to have a conversation about mental health – whether that’s texting a friend or chatting to a colleague.

More information

We had great fun taking part in the fitness challenge! It was a tough challenge but with a great team effort we finished in 7th place on the leaderboard.

Can you spot the university team members in these photos?