Many phrases have entered our vocabulary as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown “Zoom fatigue” refers to the mental exhaustion associated with online video conferencing.
Read here for advice on how to get the most out of online video conferencing
Walking is a great way to stay both physically and mentally fit. Now more than ever, during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is incredibly important to keep active, both for our own wellbeing and to avoid storing up health problems for ourselves and the NHS in the future. Living Streets, the UK charity for everyday walking, is laying down a challenge, #TRY20, for us all to try walking for 20 minutes each day and feel the benefits.
For tips and advice from Living Streets on how to keep your walks interesting and safe during lockdown click here
This article looks at emotions and mood in response to the current world wide situation in the context of already established models, and how we might start to understand and cope with them
Read the article here
It is unpleasant, frightening and often lonely to be living in the time of a global pandemic. But as the Coronavirus’ continuing spread contains people across the world in isolation in our homes, good citizens of the internet have stepped up to help fill the void of physical human connection.
Here are a few things that have distracted, delighted and entertained us in the strange, new, primarily virtual reality.
This guidance explores: how shift work can impact on health, safety and wellbeing; what measures can be taken by employers and employees; and the importance of partnership working on shift working patterns.
Read the guidance here
This series of reports summarises the evidence for the effectiveness of universal approaches to improving children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing. The documents are intended for strategic and operational leads, working on children and young people’s mental health. The report of the findings of a Special Interest Group summarises the approach, findings and recommendations.
Click here to access the reports.
This report finds that prescribing contact with nature for people who have low levels of mental wellbeing is excellent value for money by improving people’s health and wellbeing. Researchers at Leeds Beckett University analysed the social value of Wildlife Trusts’ nature conservation projects which offer outdoor volunteering opportunities and programmes that support people experiencing problems such as anxiety, stress or mild depression. The report draws on the conclusions of three years research which found that people participating in both sorts of outdoor nature conservation activities felt significantly better, both emotionally and physically, as a result.
Click here to view the full report.
A healthy foundation for the future: the final report of the young people’s future health inquiry from the Health Foundation summarises the work of a two-year inquiry into young people’s future health. It urges the government to overhaul policies across housing, transport and education and adopt a whole government approach to secure the future health of today’s young people. Key recommendations include:
• a government review of the impact of the exam system and the ‘teach to test’ culture on the mental health of young people.
• significant reforms to the private rental sector including developing minimum standards for landlords and greater support for ‘build to rent’ schemes so that young people can put down roots and feel a sense of ‘home’.
• ending the postcode lottery in access to discounted and free transport for students and young people seeking employment.
Click here to view the report.
Public Health England has launched a new mental health campaign called Every Mind Matters. The campaign aims to support everyone to feel more confident in taking action to look after their mental health and wellbeing by promoting a range of self-care actions.
Click here to view the resource.
This report evaluates wellbeing in children and young people, including statistics on the wellbeing of children and young people in England, wider indicators on their happiness with their relationships, self-reported health and experiences with school, and an in-depth analysis of psychological wellbeing in teenage girls.
Click here to view the full report.
