St John's School Newsletter

Wellbeing

Wellbeing Day

Thursday 19th August

 

Enjoy the day and take some time to focus on your wellbeing!

Here are a list of activities you might like to do:

  • Mindful Colouring 
  • Cosmic Kids
  • Mindful meditation
  • Go Noodle
  • Create your own joke book
  • Write a letter to a friend
  • Make a sock puppet
  • Paint a picture
  • Listen to your favourite music
  • Go outside and ride your bike
  • Play a backyard game of hide and seek
  • Play with some lego
  • Read a book
  • Go for a family walk around the block
  • Do some baking or cooking

We can’t wait to hear about the activities you get up to!       

10 ways to get through the tough times 

 For children and adults 

                                                                By Dr Andrew Wicking 

 

We all have our ups and downs. The  foundation to good mental health is the  ability to manage worry and stress and  remain confident, to sleep well, eat  well, exercise and stay away from  unhealthy substances. This means  knowing when we need recovery time,  time to think, time to re-shift priorities  as well as time to stop thinking so  much about ourselves and get out and  play and help others.  

 

1. Sadness is not always bad 

Everyone loves being happy but being  sad at times is not such a bad thing.  Sadness gives us time for thinking  things over, sometimes regretting  things we have done, and helps us to  resolve to be better people. Feelings of  sadness, disappointment and setbacks  are part of human lives and without  them we don't live whole lives. 

We all want our kids to be happy but  know that there will be times they will  be sad. Helping young people to know  that they won't be happy all the time is  important. Realising that all feelings  pass and that we can learn from the  whole range of feelings, sadness  included, is part of being human.

 

2. Lower the amount of stress 

Try to identify some of the major  sources of stress in your life and  develop systems to deal with them. If  you can't avoid the stressful situations  at least develop a de-compression  strategy. This is a way of winding  ourselves down after being revved up.  Going for a walk, doing some exercise  and being active are some of the best  ways. 

 

3. Find some good friends 

Friends are a treasure. Along with  family, having a few good friends that  we can talk things over with enriches  our lives and protects us in difficult  times. 

 

4. Eat healthily for what we eat  changes our moods 

Countries that eat low levels of fish  have higher levels of depression. Fish  contains a fatty acid known as EPA,  which is lacking in those with  depression. Fatty acids are also found  in flaxseed, walnuts and chia seeds and  are good fats. These are the good fats so  if you are hesitant about eating them don't be. Whole grain oats have been  shown to help with depression as they have folic acid and B vitamins and  helps with a slow release of energy  versus the crash and burn of blood  sugar levels that can happen. 

 

Foods high in selenium which is found  in meat, fish and cereal grains has also  been shown to decrease symptoms of  depression. Leafy greens have magnesium in them which helps with  depression and helps with sleep  patterns. 

 

5. Cultivate sources of "Flow" 

We experience "flow" when we get  involved in an activity that captivates  us. At the end of these types of activities  people often think, "Where did the time  go?" There are many sources of flow - computer games, sports, drawing,  dancing, reading, swimming and  surfing are some. These are the things  that you do that absorb you and take  you away from your day to day cares  and worries. Losing yourself in a few  pleasurable activities that challenge  you is highly protective against  depression. 

 

6. Belong to the karma club. 

Decide to increase good will in the  world by doing something positive for  someone else. Try this out for one week.  Pick someone you know and try to  "knock their socks off" as much as  possible. Give them compliments, greet  them exuberantly and take time to be  with them. You'll be amazed at how  much benefit you get from increasing  someone else's happiness. 

 

7. Be grateful and lucky 

Even people who have had rotten things  happen to them can rise above them.  They usually do this by deciding to be  lucky. While we can focus on the things that have upset us, most of us have  many things and people to be grateful  for. Focusing on that part of your life  and deciding that you are lucky makes  an enormous difference to your life. 

 

8. Get enough sleep and rest 

Getting enough sleep is one of the most  powerful ways we can protect ourselves  against depression. The structures in  the brain that support the most  powerful anti-depressant, serotonin,  are built and re-built between the sixth  and the eighth hour of sleep.

 

Over 60%  of people who sleep 5 or less hours a  night end up obese and depressed. 

If you are having difficulty sleeping: • decrease caffeine consumption  late in the day, 

• decrease sugar in your diet, • go to bed at the same time every  day and wakeup at the same time every day., • avoid late nights, • avoid naps especially after 4pm, • avoid spicy, sugary or heavy  foods before bedtime, • have the room at a comfortable  temperature (some kids want to  heat up the room, • and sweat the night away), • block out distracting noise, • don't sit in bed while studying  get in the habit of reserving it for  sleep, • warm milk before bed is good as  it is high in tryptophan, which  aids sleep, • try relaxation methods before  sleeping, • write out a to-do list for the next  day before getting into bed, •have a pre-sleep ritual e.g.  reading or warm bath, • turn off all electronics especially  phones. 

 

9. Get some exercise 

 

Exercise decreases stress hormones  such as cortisol and increases  endorphins (happy chemicals). Exercise  also helps release dopamine, 

adrenaline and serotonin, which work  together to make you feel good.  Endorphins are a hormone like  substance, produced in the brain and  function as the body's natural  painkillers. During exercise endorphins  can leave you in a state of euphoria  with a sense of wellbeing. 

 

The most effective type of exercise for  the release of endorphins is  

cardiovascular exercise and aerobics.  Moderate exercise for 10 minutes a day  is enough to improve your mood and  increase energy, but it is suggested that  you do 30 minutes per day. 

 

10. Laugh more 

Laughter raises our levels of serotonin  and dopamine. Make a point of  watching TV shows or movies that  make you laugh. Share funny stories  and jokes with friends. People report  that laughing even when they don't feel  happy improves their mood and sense  of wellbeing. 

Find this article and more at:   http://resilientyouth.org/free-resources 

 

 

 

Some extra support webinars Whitehorse Council are offering at the moment include:

 

Bookings: Registering your attendance is essential. Please book online on Council’s website www.whitehorse.vic.gov.au/events/body-confident-childrenteens-2021

 

Bookings: Registering your attendance is essential. Please book online on Council’s  website www.whitehorse.vic.gov.au/events/parenting-anxious