Darker Evenings, SAD, World Mental Health Day and Halloween!
Welcome to Octobers edition of Open Minds.
The days are starting to feel a little colder now. We've even had to start putting the heating on at home! The evenings are getting shorter, giving us less daylight time and that feeling of 'not enough hours in the day' which can add to normal stress and leave us feeling low in mood.
Seasonal Affective Disorder
Those of you affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) might have started feeling those tell tale signs creeping in; the low moods, losing interest activities, becoming irritable, the lacking of energy, struggling to get up in the morning, craving carbs, difficulty concentrating.
But what can we do to combat these signs? Here are 3 methods you can try:
Lifestyle
Maintain regular exercise - Walking, cycling, running or the Gym.
Expose yourself to as much natural light as possible, get outdoors and let light into your home.
Therapy
Light therapy can be provided with special SAD Lamps, that replicate natural light. Having these in your home can top up your light levels.
Counselling
If the low moods become more serious and develop into depression, counselling can provide that person to talk to and help with your struggles.
Let us know in the comments if you find any of these work
World Mental Health Day
October is a huge month for Mental Health, with World Mental Health Day on Thursday 10th October.
The day has been allocated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to raise awareness and gain support for the many issues around the world.
Whilst it's fantastic to highlight the problems we suffer with Mental Health on this day, it should also be something society is aware of EVERY day. Those that suffer don't just do so on one day of the year. But by encouraging each other to speak about these issues, we can only make things better for all.
Each year has a set theme, for 2024 this is "Workplace Mental Health" with the emphasis on addressing Mental Health in the workplace to benefit the employees and the business alike.
Workplaces can provide training around Mental Health, to allow the business to support its employees. They can also tackle issues such as bullying and discrimination and even encourage conversations to break the stigma around Mental Health.
Did you know...?
Mental Health is the 5th most common reason for workplace sickness / absence.
15% of UK workers have an existing Mental Health condition.
875,000 workers suffer from work-related stress, anxiety and depression.
Is your workplace taking part? If not, what could they be doing?
Fundraise for a local / national Mental Health Charity
Hold a 'Tea & Talk' event
Wear a Green Ribbon
Promote the day around the workplace with Posters / Graphics
What can you do as an individual?
Promote the day across your social media
Listen to those who might be struggling
Drop a comment below for your workplace plans
Halloween
The end of the month celebrates Halloween, where you will no doubt be supplying sweets and treats to the local children of your neighbourhood!
Don't let the kids have all the fun thought, why not have an adults fancy dress party? You're never too old to play dress up! Adorn the house with some ghoulish decorations, fake cobwebs and make some creepy food. And get artsy with some pumpkin carving.
The tradition has come a long way from its Celtic origins of Samhain, where locals would once lit bonfires and wore scary costumes to ward of ghosts and evil spirits, we now just do so for fun and entertainment...but who knows - maybe we scare off those ghosts too!
Share your Halloween celebrations or Costume choices in the comments below
Comments