Wellbeing

Semester One has come to an end and students have begun the new Semester at the end of a long and often chilly term. Many students have been working hard and now it’s time to rest and recharge. This is particularly important for Year 12 students who will be returning to their last full term of school before exams start early Term 4.

Holidays however can pose challenges for students when the daily rhythms and routines of school fall away. We often hear in Wellbeing that students have struggled over the holidays and return to school feeling more tired, less motivated and their mental health has deteriorated. 

There is a natural desire to rest, sleep and relax during the holidays, however this can often result in young people spending more time in sedentary activities such as sleeping, screen time, decreased time moving or engaging in healthy behaviours. A study published in BMC Public Health stated that during holidays students slept 40 minutes longer, spent an extra hour on screen time and engaged in 10 minutes less vigorous physical activity. and total energy expenditure was lower by 5.5%.

A decrease in movement and healthy activity can become even more problematic when combined with mental health issues such as anxiety or depression. We know that staying active, healthy eating, good sleep hygiene and positive social interactions can all support positive mental health. 

So how can we support our young people to not just rest but also recharge these holidays.

1. Make a plan - help your student to create a timetable for the holidays that includes time to study, revise, catch on school work - but also builds in time to rest, relax, catch up with friends.
2. Try out something new - go to a gallery, try a new cafe, go to the theatre, learn something new. New experiences help keep the mind engaged and body active. It helps create new perspectives on the world around you. It trains the brain to handle a wide range of challenges, and keeps the neural pathways active. All these factors combine to keep you healthy.
3. Take time to be in nature - Cycle in the countryside, go hiking, take a walk on the beach… or try gardening! It will appeal to the senses and strengthen the immune system, plus it’s a great way to socialise and get some exercise.
4. And finally - sleep - but don’t oversleep. It’s common to feel exhausted once the school term is over. Maybe you’ll plan to stay in bed for a few days! Unfortunately, oversleeping doesn’t reverse the ‘metabolic dysregulation’ brought on by lack of sleep. Follow your rhythm and take short naps if needed, but be careful not to overindulge. It is sometimes better to rest or meditate for 10 to 20 minutes and try to keep the same bedtime routine, rather than disrupting it with long naps during the day. 

For further information on how to support your young person over the holidays: https://headspace.org.au/assets/Uploads/Corporate/Support-your-young-person-during-the-holidays-web.pdf

Coming up…

On Thursday 10 August, the Student Wellbeing Advisory Group (SWAG) will be facilitating our first “Swinny Wellness Day”. The goal of the day will be to introduce students to a range of ways to support positive mental health, resilience and to build community and connection. As part of this event, SWAG will be holding a raffle to raise money for “Suicide Prevention Australia”. We have already received some generous donations for the raffle but would appreciate any additional support.

If parents/guardians have any questions related to the work of the Wellbeing team, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. The email address is: wellbeing@sssc.vic.edu.au

With warm wishes,

Elizabeth Reardon, Leader of Wellbeing 

on behalf of the Wellbeing Team

(Summer Read, Michelle Seelig and Fiona Keech)