wellbeing@gec

As we navigate our way through this ongoing pandemic it is important to try and understand the long-term impacts on the wellbeing of young people. 

 

UNICEF has posted on their website an article titled “Managing the long-term effects of the pandemic on your child's mental health”. It provides information on how we, as the adults in their lives, can support them to survive and thrive.

 

“The COVID-19 pandemic has been an especially difficult time for children. Much more of their lives have been taken up by the pandemic in comparison to adults and the loss of in-person learning and favourite activities with friends has been devastating.” 

The link below takes you to the article and additional links to resources to support you and your child.

 

 https://www.unicef.org/parenting/mental-health/managing-long-term-effects-pandemic-your-childs-mental-health

 

We recently farewelled our Mental health Practitioner Lyn Jenkin. Lyn was a valued member of our wellbeing team providing support to students experiencing challenges with their mental health.  We look forward to introducing our new Mental Health Practitioner in our next newsletter. Thank you to Lyn for providing the article below.

WELLBEING

There is lots of talk at the moment about mental health.  Whilst mental health improves our lives, wellbeing is what helps us to be resilient and cope with adversity or problems in our lives.  Wellbeing is more than just feeling a bit happy or having good health, it really means thriving in multiple aspects of our lives.  Sometimes it might just feel like we are ‘surviving’ rather than ‘thriving’.  Here some suggestions from Black Dog Institute to develop wellbeing in ourselves and our families.

1.Finding your strengths and use them. 

This does not need to be a complicated task.  If you are unsure of your strengths, you may want to be courageous and ask other family members or friends what they think are your top two best strengths or strengths that you are developing.  For example, are you kind, are you creative, are you generous, do you love learning, do you enjoy leading people, do you love cooking?

 

The next step is to use them for the greater good.  We are helping to develop wellbeing by thinking of using them in a different way. For example, if your strength is kindness, consider offering to post a letter for an elderly neighbour whilst doing your walk? If your strength is generosity, perhaps you might consider putting a box of excess lemons from your tree out the front of your house for others to use.  If you’re a leader, you might do something as simple as planning a new bike route for yourself and a family member to use on the weekend.  In some sense it might seem tricky, but actually there are opportunities to practice our strengths and feel a sense of satisfaction or enthusiasm which in turn lifts our mood and develops wellbeing.

 

2.Flow:

Flow is a state of being completely immersed in an activity.  You are not aware of time or worries and may even lose that sense of self momentarily.  ‘Flow’ happens when you are challenged, concentrating or doing something you love. It can improve our performance and master new skills.  For example, you might experience this when going surfing or playing music, dancing, building or designing, or playing an instrument.  The key is to be flexible about this and build it in to our known routine.  Most likely you cannot surf within a short distance from your home, but there might be an alternative ‘flow’ activity that could be attempted (using one of your strengths above), and even surprise you.  It needs to extend and challenge you.  For example, gardening, playing cards, painting, reading, trying a new form of exercise.  Flow leads to a heightened sense of awareness, greater creativity, loss of self-consciousness (forgetting yourself and your worries) and more.

3.Mindfulness and/meditation:

Mindfulness is a form of self-awareness originally from Buddhist origins.  It is about being present in the moment without judgement. In mindfulness our thoughts come and go, and we develop the ability to observe our thoughts as just that: thoughts. It helps us to not be so critical of ourselves and others.  We are often in a state of anxiety/hypervigilance for our families, communities and the broader world.  Our minds are full of information and thoughts that make us heightened. Mindfulness helps us stop getting caught up in that contagion, and actually allows our minds to rest and recover. Mindfulness can provide positive changes to our wellbeing.

 

There is a plethora of mindfulness apps and information online.  However, again, it doesn’t need to be sophisticated or complex. Mindfulness can be as simple as going for a walk and noticing all your senses (sight: looking at reflections, sound: noticing birds singing, smelling: fresh grass, touch: feeling your feet on the footpath, taste: perhaps less so, but tasting the moisture in the air/or the drink you have with you as you walk).  Mindfulness can be noticing your breathing for a few minutes each day in a quiet place, noticing your belly and nostrils as you breathe.  Mindfulness can be remembering positive moments, how you felt at that time, what was going on around you.  It can also be about savouring the moment and being conscious of the pleasure at that time.

4.Yoga:

Yoga is another step to greater wellbeing.  It improves health, provides clarity and greater self-awareness.  It’s about mind, body and spirit working together.  It shifts our bodies from the fight/flight responses to the calming response in our body. It uses postures and particular breathing techniques to help exercise, relax and meditate.  Like mindfulness, yoga slows you down.  It lowers your heart rate, decreases blood pressure and increases blood flow.  It helps to manage pain, sleep, anxiety, depression, builds strength and flexibility and posture.  Yoga is closely associated to the state of ‘flow’ as you are immersed and concentrating on one activity.

 

There are many apps, online classes, DVDs that you can use.  It may take some time to find the yoga style that suits you, but it is a great activity to try during lockdown.  Like mindfulness, it is a skill that if used regularly will become an important part of your sense of wellbeing.

5.Gratitude:

Gratitude can have enormous benefits.  It is about being thankful and celebrating the positives in life.  This definitely takes work, but it is quite simple and yields great benefit for us and others around us, to be mindful in this way.  Gratitude helps us to appreciate all the things that make us who we are.  Being respectful and thankful increases our wellbeing.  Gratitude spreads positivity to others; strengthens our relationships; improves our mental health; increases resilience.

 

Gratitude ideas: writing notes to someone who has been helpful, or is special; saying thankyou to others in a genuine way; appreciating things around you; being the outdoors; celebrating with your immediate family at home; feeling able to forgive; receiving thanks.

6.Lifestyle: sleep, exercise, diet:

Sleep:

Good quality, and regular sleep patterns are essential to wellbeing.  Adolescents need approximately 8-10hrs of sleep, adults need more, 7-9hrs.  Good sleep ‘hygiene’ is developing a regular routine to prepare for sleep.  It’s important to have regular times to go to bed and get up, having a calming bedtime routine (herbal tea/warm shower), removing electronic devices and having a restful space to sleep.

 

Exercise: 

We know there is a strong link between exercise and mood being improved.  Endorphins/’feel good’ chemical are released from the brain during exercise which makes you feel better.  Apart from the physical benefits, exercise increases energy, builds confidence, improves sleep, reduces stress, distracts from worries and gets people away from screens.

 

Exercise can be built into the day and does not need to be expensive or time consuming. Exercise is best with varying the type, and where you do it, acknowledging that this can be tricky at times.

 

Diet:

In conjunction with diet, we know good nutrition is an essential part of wellbeing.  In particular, maintaining a diet with plenty of fresh food, and limits on processed foods is the optimum.  This means plenty of vegetables, fruits, wholegrains and limited/added sugars.  In adolescence, regular and good quality intake is necessary to keep up with the physical demands of this stage in life.  If you are considering dietary changes, seek advice from a dietician or your GP.

 

For wellbeing strategies:

https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/resources-support/wellbeing/

 

For smiling mind app for relaxation/mindfulness/sleep:

https://www.smilingmind.com.au/

 

For parents, link to Department of Education Student Wellbeing Hub

https://studentwellbeinghub.edu.au/parents/topics/your-child-s-mental-and-physical-health/

 

Jenny Sanchez

Wellbeing Leader