HEALTH AND WELLBEING
Please see tips and guides below on different ways you can adapt a healthier lifestyle
IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR SUPPORT REGARDING MENTAL HEALTH PLEASE SEE THE PROFILES OF OUR HIGHLY RECOMMENDED COUNSELLERS, COACHES AND THERAPISTS:
TYNE COUNSELLING
BASED IN DURHAM AREA |
KATE CHARTRES THERAPY AND CONSULTATION
BASED IN THE NORTH |
SUZANNE BARBOUR COACHING
BASED IN MIDDLESBOROUGH AREA |
SLEEP AWARENESS
CLICK ON THE TEXT ABOVE TO DOWNLOAD OUR INFORMATIVE SLEEP AWARENESS POSTER
Sleep is an extremely important factor in our life's. Having a steady sleep schedule allows us to be ready for our day ahead, it keeps our mind and body in balance. NHS studies show that sleep increases immunity.
Did you know that lack of sleep can cause:
Did you know that lack of sleep can cause:
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Having a tough time getting enough sleep? Try the tips below:
Increase bright light exposure during the day - Natural / bright day light helps your body's rhythm stay healthy. Getting a healthy amount of daylight exposure improves daytime energy as well as night time sleep quality and duration.
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Reduce your Alcohol intake - Alcohol is known to cause or increase the symptoms of sleep apnea, snoring and disrupted sleep patterns.
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Reduce Caffeine intake at later times in the day - Caffeine stimulates your nervous system and may stop your body from naturally relaxing at night
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Try reducing long daytime naps - the effects of napping depend on the individual so don't worry too much if this is something you do, however sleeping during the daytime will confuse your body clock meaning you will struggle to sleep at night.
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Try to sleep and wake at consistent times - your body's rhythm is set on a loop so if you set a routine then your body will naturally align itself accordingly. Here at Carney Consultancy we did our own sleep survey in which we found out that the percentage of our staff that didn't sleep at regular times were those who struggled with tiredness during the daytime.
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Try to relax and clear your mind in the evening - a pre-sleep routine always comes in handy, relaxation is shown to improve sleep quantity and quality. Try doing something that you find low-key and relaxing before going to sleep.
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Reduce blue light *exposure in the evening - night time light exposure does the opposite to the above. Too much bright light exposure in the evening tricks your body clock into thinking it is still daytime. This reduces hormones like melatonin, which helps you relax and get a deep sleep.
*Blue Light - light that is emitted from electronic devices like smartphones / computers. |
Click the image below for advice and support on how to get a better nights sleep:
SOME USEFUL SOURCES
LIGHTHOUSE CLUB The lighthouse club is an amazing charity that help support workers in the construction industry with their Mental Health. Click on the text or image above to be redirected to their website.
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BETTER HEALTH AT WORK AWARDSClick on the text or image above to be redirected to the official Better Health at Work Award webpage. This project helps focus on workplace health and is a fun but informative way for companies to encourage and promote good health in the workplace.
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STRESS QUESTIONNAIREClick on the text or image above to try the NHS Stress quiz, answer 5 questions to get some tips on how to manage your stress.
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IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A SIGN NOT TO KILL YOURSELF - THIS IS IT
Mental Health is a very important topic, many people struggle with their Mental Health so it is important to know that you are not alone and that you are aware of the resources around you that are here to help.
Depression
a low mood that lasts for weeks or months and affects your daily life. It can lead to energy depletion and a lack of motivation. |
Anxiety
a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome. A constant stress of panic, potentially leading to shortness of breath or heart palpitations. |
Substance abuse
constant drinking or drug taking is a sign that someone may be suffering. Feeling a sense of self-loathing or worthlessness: remember, suicide is a huge killer of construction workers. If you have any feelings or thoughts of being worthless or that you may want to hurt yourself, please contact someone immediately. |
Behavioural issues
being overly emotional, quiet and withdrawn, prone to anger outbursts or coming across as confrontational and hostile. These are potential signs of someone dealing with a mental health problem. |
Poor sleep
we need on average between 7-9 hours a night. Failure to sleep enough can lead to poor sleep habits, which have been shown to contribute to anxiety and other mental health issues. |
If you need someone to talk to please contact the Lighthouse club Construction Industry Helpline, they’re there to help.
For more information on Mental Health in UK Construction workers please see the link below to an amazing article by Metropolitan Services:
https://mservices.co.uk/news/mental-health-uk-construction-workers/
For more information on Mental Health in UK Construction workers please see the link below to an amazing article by Metropolitan Services:
https://mservices.co.uk/news/mental-health-uk-construction-workers/
MENTAL HEALTH
How to look after your Mental HealthIn this publication, the Mental Health Foundation covers different ways that you can look after your Mental Health. Everybody is different and therefore they take to different ways of self care. Help navigate your mind with this highly recommended guide.
Source - Mental Health Foundation |
It's okay not to be okayThis article covers the importance of Mental Health and how not feeling 100% is your mind and body telling you to take it easy, feelings like these may not be 100% comfortable but they are 100% normal.
Source - SHP Online |
5 Steps to Mental WellbeingClick the text or image above to be redirected to the NHS webpage regarding tips on how you can improve your Mental Wellbeing.
Source - NHS |
MENTAL HEALTH TOOL BOX TALKS
Click on an icon below to see our Mental Health Tool Box Talks to get information on different topics relating to Mental Health.
MINDFULNESS
Small things can make a huge difference, practicing mindfulness activities can help relieve stress and keep you focused. We have listed a few different facts on mindfulness that may help you understand the importance of balance in day-to-day life, alongside tips on how you you can practice mindfulness
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Click here to read about the effectiveness of mindfulness and how it can change peoples lives. Source - The story reading ape blog |
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The image to the right shows how you can create a balance in life, especially between work and home life. Did you know: It’s estimated that 200–500 million people meditate worldwide. Meditation improves anxiety levels 60% of the time. Meditation can reduce the risk of being hospitalized for coronary disease by 87%. Meditation can reduce the wake time of people with insomnia by 50%, according to mindfulness meditation stats. 66% of US Buddhists meditate at least once a week. 52% of employers provided mindfulness classes or training to their employees in 2018. Meditation can increase employees’ productivity by 120%. School suspensions were reduced by 45% thanks to meditation. |
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Meditation not your thing?
Mindfulness can come in many different forms. As effective as meditation is, doing simple things such as taking walks, eating and listening. Focusing on simple things can help bring us back to the present moment and this little trick can help keep us centred through the day.
Mindfulness can come in many different forms. As effective as meditation is, doing simple things such as taking walks, eating and listening. Focusing on simple things can help bring us back to the present moment and this little trick can help keep us centred through the day.
STRESS AWARENESS
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ALCOHOL AWARENESS
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HEALTHY EATING
Healthy eating is a very important aspect of life that can help improve your lifestyle majorly.
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EXERCISE
There are 3 main elements that are essential when focusing on creating a balance in life, these consist of Physical Exercise, Mental Well being and Healthy Eating. Exercising can help increase self esteem and reduce stress and anxiety. It can help you improve your memory and get a better nights sleep.
Physical exercise comes in many forms from structured workouts to just starting to walk more often - take it at your own pace and accommodate your needs as previously mentioned Mental Wellbeing is also extremely important so don't be too hard on yourself, we all have to start somewhere.
Including small elements of physical exercise in your day to day life can create huge changes very time so start small and just keep going - resilience is key!
Here at Carney Consultancy we are promoting physical exercise by doing (socially distanced) group classroom workouts, maybe try introduce this to your workplace to encourage others to keep fit and well.
