Bringing Kindness into Your Life: Mental Health Awareness Tips and Volunteering Ideas

PSHE Newsletter May 2020

Mental Health Awareness Week 18th 24th May Mental Health Awareness Week reminds us of how we need to be aware of both our own and friends/families mental health during this difficult time. There are a number of things that we can do during this time to support our own mental health and that of those closest to us. This years theme is Kindness.

What do we mean bykindness? Kindness is choosing to do something that helpsothersor yourself, motivated by genuine warm feelings. Kindness, or doing good, often means putting other people s needs before our own.Itcould be by givingupour seat on a bus to someone who might need it more, or offering to make a cup of tea for someone at home. Evidence shows that helping others can alsobenefitourown mental health and wellbeing. For example, it can reduce stress as well as improve mood, self-esteem and happiness. There are so many waystohelpothers as part of our everyday lives. Good deeds needn t takemuchtimeor cost any money.

Small changes can make a big difference Here are some tips onhowto bring kindness into your life Volunteering (Difficult to do just now but you could look in to what type of volunteering you can do once lockdown is over) Doing something for a good cause Acts of kindness

Volunteering Here are some ideasabout getting involved: Volunteering is a great way to help others and research shows thatitbenefits people of all ages, through increasing feelings of self-esteem, socialconnection, and wellbeing If you have friends or neighbours who are shielding(becauseof coronavirus)and can t leave the house, see what you can do to help Check insafelywith a neighbour who is isolatedorshielding Involve your friends and neighbours in community projects Go online to see how you can help the charities in your are (facebook/twitter) You could start up an online book club or film club Offer to skill-share with a friend via video call - you could teach guitar, danceor anew recipe.

Doing something for a good cause There are lots of other ways you can get involved: Getting involved with a cause that is close to your heart can be hugely beneficial for both thecauseand your own sense of wellbeing For example, if you want to help protect the environment, you could get involved in a local tree- planting scheme It may be on hold during the coronaviruslockdown,but you could start by identifying a few local organisations to contact about how they can use volunteers. Follow your chosen charity on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and join in with the conversation Sign-up to receive your charity s newsletter and keep up to date with the work they re doing. Plana fundraising event in your local community or at work once it s safe Raise money by taking part in a fun active challenge, such as a 5k run or walk in fancy dress, or maybe a themed sports day. Again, this might need to be online for a while, due to coronavirus. Whatever you decide to do, make sure you have fun with it!

Acts of kindness At home and in your community Call a friend who you haven t spoken to for a while Acts of kindness have the potential to make the world a happier place Post a card or letter to someone you are out of touch with We want to see a world where kindness is built into business decisions, government policy and official systems. However, we can start by individual commitment to showing kindness in our words and our actions. Find out if a neighbour needs any help with shopping Send someone a handwritten thank you note Tell your familyhow much you love and appreciate them Help with household chores Not sure where to start? We ve put together some suggestions to help you out Check on someone you know who is going through a tough time

See Me Scotland For more information on how you can get involved in Mental Health Awareness Week, log on to: http://www.facebook.com/seemescotland

Looking after your family and yourself in Lockdown These are very challenging times. If you can take a moment to stop and recognise what you and others are feeling you will have a much better idea of how to help yourself. Take one moment at a time. You might well be feeling anxious about you or someone you really care about catching coronavirus. Try to: limit the time you spend listening to news particularly avoiding the news in the evening before going to bed so you don't disrupt your sleep find time in the day to do something relaxing and enjoyable for you

Be kind to yourself If you are a carer it's vital to look after yourself so that you can take care of others. If you do reach your limit, ask yourself what can I do to help look after me? Don't put too much pressure on yourself to have everything in order at home. Just do your best. "Take a break before you need one" Find a routine Our bodies love routine but it's hard to keep it going at a time like this. You could: try to get up at the same time every day plan something for each day, whether its a hobby or a task have a household routine as well. Everyone needs some privacy and space This can be a real challenge at times like this so talk about how this might work in your family. Take time to notice the good moments

Dealing with stress Everyone shows stress in different ways. Agreeing on what you and they need from others when stressed can be really helpful. Some tips that psychologists give at times like these: If you've lost your temper, admit fault, say you're sorry and move on Be good to each other and listen Look for the good in someone else Look for what you can agree on Try not to have those routine arguments Pick your battles Take time to notice the good moments Get your exercise Physical exercise is a great stress buster. Take time once a day outside or in your home. There are plenty of online classes and if you have mobility issues there are sitting stretches or wheelchair exercises you can do. Be imaginative about keeping active, even if it's just in small ways and try not to sit for periods of longer than an hour.

Get some sun We need light on our skin. If you are stuck in the house try to sit near an open window. We need light to make vitamin D and sunlight also affects our mood keeping us happier. Stay connected If you're feeling lonely or isolated then connect more with others. Try email, social media, zoom or even by letter. When we have to distance physically we need to lean in more emotionally. Being generous and helping others can make a difference to others but can also help you feel better about yourself. Reach for help If you're feeling very low or depressed don't be embarrassed to ask for help. GPs are still working and want to hear from you. It's ok not to feel ok. There's help in your local community for those who are shielding and self-isolating, and of course the MPS Society is there for you at the end of the phone, waiting to hear from you. "It's ok not to feel ok"

Things to do during lockdown Have a Streaming Party Miss watching shows with your friends? Have a Netflix party during quarantine thanks to the appropriately-named Netflix Party. This free Chrome extension generates a unique link to send to other friends with a Netflix account so you can all simultaneously watch the same movie. It automatically syncs video playback and includes a group chat feature.

Visit a Zoo Zoos may be closed to the public but you can still you can laze with the giant pandas of the Smithsonian National Zoo, get up close and personal with the animals of the African Savanna courtesy of Dublin Zoo, hang with the San Diego Zoo s African penguins, or stop and say hello to the snow leopards from Melbourne Zoo. That s only a small sample of the myriad animal-themed live streams that are out there. You can visit your favourite zoo s website or social media page to find out if it s streaming content. The Philadelphia Zoo, for instance, hosts an interactive program on Facebook at 2 pm local time every weekday. Explore a Museum Engage in a bit of culture by taking a virtual museum tour via Google Arts & Culture. Roam the halls of the storied British Museum in London, admire the collection of French Art at the Musee d Orsay in Paris, or lose yourself in the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. Beyond the 10 venues offered by Google Arts & Culture, you can also check out virtual tours of the Lovure, the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC, and the Vatican Museum.

Make YouTube Your Fitness Partner There is no shortage of fitness videos on YouTube, so no matter your skill level or preferred method of exercise, you re bound to find something that suits. These are some of our favourite YouTube fitness channels right now: ATHLEAN-X features at-home workouts, tutorials, and nutritional advice with an emphasis on science; recommended for anyone who wants to increase strength and overall athleticism. Yoga With Adriene includes a vast library of lessons geared towards beginner, intermediate, and advanced yogis. Sunny Funny Fitness is hosted by a dance team coach from South Korea. This channel has pop-inspired dance workouts plus other exercises. Samery Moras Taekwondo is provided by a 4th-degree black belt in Taekwondo who has filmed at-home training videos that suit even novice martial artists.

Download a Fitness App Now is as good a time as ever to download a fitness app to your phone or tablet. There are hundreds to choose from on both iOS and Android, though, so it s not easy to cut through the noise. Here are some you can pick from: Daily Yoga: This has over 100 yoga and meditation lessons available for all skill levels. It s free to download, but a Pro version that grants extra perks like unlimited classes is available from $10 per month. Zen Muscle Building/Toning Challenge Bundle: This 4-app iOS bundle features everything you need for a total body workout at home. Challenge yourself with pushups, situps, squats, and pullups. You can download these apps individually for Android for free. Fitocracy: This free app gamifies your workouts by awarding points, badges, and special achievements for all completed goals.