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Join us as we mark mental health awareness week - Monday 10th - Sunday 16th May - by highlighting events, activities and support available to staff and students at UWS that supports mental wellbeing.

This year we’re promoting awareness of mental health through the 5 ways to wellbeing

Mental Health Awareness Week 2021

Research carried out by the New Economics Foundation found that there are five ways to wellbeing.

  • Connect
  • Be active
  • Take notice
  • Keep learning
  • Give

We have given some ideas and suggestions about how you can introduce the five ways to wellbeing into your every day routine.

Connect

Connecting with the people around us is a great way to remind ourselves that we’re important and valued by others.

Here are some suggestions for staying connected:

Students Association – join a club, society or attend an event. It’s a great way to meet new people and learn new skills.

Click here to find out more about student association activities and events.

Build a network of support -  check out the video on student space about building a network during coronavirus https://studentspace.org.uk/wellbeing/friendships-and-social-life

Make an appointment with a university counsellor. We all know that good relationships are an important factor in good mental health. Your counsellor will take time to help you explore what your relationships mean to you and make goals for the future. Click here to find out more about the university counselling service https://www.uws.ac.uk/current-students/supporting-your-health-wellbeing/counselling/

 

Be active

The link between staying active and positive mental health and wellbeing has been well established.  By regularly engaging in some form of exercise we can look after our mental and physical health at the same time.  Here are some ways to become more active:

Join a gym - All UWS operated campus gyms are now open and all UWS students benefit from free gym membership.  Did you know staff have free access at the moment as part of our reopening plan? If you have not already joined, click here complete your membership.

Online Fitness Classes - To access UWS Sport online fitness classes - Fit 30 you must firstly register with Playwaze using their desktop site and specifically using only your UWS student or staff email. Register here

On Demand Fitness & Wellbeing Sessions - UWS Sport provides access to a wide range of free on demand fitness & wellbeing sessions including; Yoga, Pilates and a wide range of fitness classes. Click here to explore the sessions available.

Physical Activity Challenges - UWS Sport provide monthly activity challenges. Join the UWS Active Community online through the Playwaze App or website to access our monthly activity challenges. Challenges in May include 5k walks and doing as many physical activity minutes as you can.

For more information on all of the above click here for campus gyms Ayr Dumfries Lanarkshire  Paisley

 

Take notice

Taking notice of our thoughts, emotions and surroundings is a great way to stay present and pay attention to our needs. Taking notice of things we’re grateful for, big or small, is a great way to boost our mood and appreciate our surroundings. Now that restrictions have ended why not take some time to check out this great resource for exploring our local areas.

 

Keep Learning

Learning new things is a good way to meet new people and boost our self confidence, which in turn improves our mental health and wellbeing. Here are some ideas to keep learning:

Cooking and preparing new meals can be really relaxing and is an excellent mindfulness activity. Check out our guide to all things FOOD. This not only has great budgeting advice but we have lots of budget friendly recipes and ideas as well as 2 amazing cookbooks co-authored by UWS staff and students.

Learn better money management - Why not try our spend diary if you want to do a bit of a spring clean of your finances? A fresh look at how you spend can help you to make positive changes for the future:

Silvercloud – the university has gifted free access to all staff and students in the university. The online CBT platform has modules on developing confidence and overcoming anxiety. Sign up for free here https://uws.silvercloudhealth.com/signup/

 

Give

Research has found a link between doing good things and an increase in wellbeing.

Careers and skills portal – not only is voluntary work good for your CV but it is also an opportunity to give back. You can find our more information about volunteer work and having this recognised on your university transcript from the careers and skills website.