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Health and Wellbeing Hub |
Men's Health Week (MHW) is designed to give all boys and men access to the information, services and treatment they need to live healthier, longer and more fulfilling lives. Last year MHW focused on raising awareness of how men were being impacted by Covid-19 and the aftereffects of the pandemic. This year the theme is to highlight the importance of taking stock of your overall health now that the worst of Covid-19 is over.
While the pandemic has taken so much focus, it is important to be conscious of other serious health conditions, so, for this year's Men's Health Week, which runs 13-19 June it's time for men everywhere, to give themselves an MOT.
To find out more about how to get involved, click here: https://www.menshealthforum.org.uk/mhw.
At any one time, about 20% women report having a mental health condition, such as depression or anxiety disorder. What is the figure for men?
At any one time 12.5% of men report having a mental health condition, such as depression or anxiety disorder men compared to about 20% women
What percentage of patients using NHS first line talking therapy services are men?
36% of patients using NHS first line talking therapy services are men.
What percentage of men say it would take thoughts of suicide or self-harm for them to seek help?
40% of men said that it would take thoughts of suicide or self-harm for them to seek help.
7% of women say they have no friends. What is the figure for men?
The figure rises to 11% for men.
80.9 per 100,00 of women are detained under the Mental Health Act (which is commonly known as being ‘sectioned’). But what’s the figure per 100,000 for men?
This rises to 88.96 per 100,000 for men.
A large percentage of those sleeping rough have mental health issues. But what percentage of those sleeping rough are men?
87% rough sleepers are men
What percentage of adults who go missing are men?
73% of adults who go missing are men.
About half of all prisoners have mental health issues. But what percentage of the prison population are men?
95% of the prison population are men.
3.3% of women are dependent on alcohol. But what is the figure for men?
The figure rises to 8.7% for men.
In 2019, what percentage of suicides in England were men?
In 2019, 76% of suicides in England and Wales were men (ONS Sept 2020). Suicide is the biggest killer of men under the age of 45.
https://www.menshealthforum.org.uk/key-data-mental-health
Men's Health Forum's message to men is:
The ‘Can Do’ Challenge
The five ways to wellbeing are five things we can all do that are scientifically proven to help us feel better.
Take part in the CAN DO Challenge by choosing a different way to wellbeing each day of the week.
Every day, a different way
The five ways are:
Read more about the five ways to wellbeing here.
Tip 1: Just Breathe!
Breathing exercises are a useful technique to help you relax. The following 4-5-8 method is very simple:
This NHS Trust has more breathing exercises you can try:
www.nwbh.nhs.uk/healthandwellbeing/Pages/Breathing-Techniques-.aspx
Breathing exercises usually benefit wellbeing. But if they aren’t working for you, or are causing you difficulty, stop using them. You can try other relaxation techniques or contact your GP for advice on managing stress and anxiety.
Tip 2: Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness is all about being in touch with and noticing the world around you. Try these simple Mindfulness exercises next time you start to feel stressed or anxious.
Mindfulness when brushing your teeth: Concentrate on how the brush feels in your hand, the sensation of it brushing your teeth, the feeling of your feet against your bathroom floor, the smell and taste of the toothpaste. It’s amazing how much we experience in the space of 2 minutes brushing our teeth!
Mindfulness with a piece of chocolate or a sweet: Put it on the back of your hand. Concentrate on how it feels against your skin. Pick it up and feel its texture. Look at its colour. Smell it. Put it in your mouth and let it dissolve without you biting into it. Experience how that feels. This also has the added benefit of making chocolate and sweets last longer!
Mindfulness usually benefits wellbeing. But if it isn’t working for you, or is causing you difficulty, stop doing it. You can try other relaxation techniques, or contact your GP for advice on managing stress and anxiety.
There is more information about getting started with mindfulness of the mindful.org website:
https://www.mindful.org/meditation/mindfulness-getting-started/
Tip 3: What keeps you up at night?
Problems with sleep can affect how you feel physically and mentally, and how you feel can also affect how you sleep. An August 2020 study from the University of Southampton showed that the number of people experiencing insomnia increased from one in six to one in four compared to 2018/19, with more sleep problems affecting young people, mothers, essential workers and BAME groups.
Problems with sleep are often caused by:
It’s common to experience periods of poor sleep, and this doesn’t usually point to a serious mental health problem. However, here some tips on how to improve your sleep:
Tip 4: The Stress Bucket
Imagine there’s a bucket you carry with you which slowly fills up when you experience different types of stress.
Sometimes you feel strong enough to carry a lot of stress, but it’s important to find activities which help you lighten the load.
What helps you reduce stress?
How can you keep those activities going when other pressures build up?
Think about the “Stress Bucket” together to prompt you and your colleagues to take action to build your resilience.
Download the stress bucket here.
Worried about someone’s mental health?
This factsheet explains what you can do if you are worried about someone’s mental health and explains how to get them help and support they need. Download the full factsheet from our partners, Rethink Mental Illness here.
Register for your free Whelthy plan
As a member of the NHS you are entitled to free unlimited access to Whelthy.
With Whelthy you will gain unlimited access to an online platform packed with exclusive recipes, nutritional advice, workouts, mindfulness, videos, blogs and even a lifestyle journal, all geared towards educating, motivating and inspiring you to smash your health and fitness goals.
To subscribe today, simply follow the instructions below and use the code HEROES100 when prompted.
This will take you to your personal Whelthy dashboard. You will now have been sent a welcome email with info of what the site includes (check your junk folder if it isn’t in your inbox).