Mental health issues can be due to one of or a combination of factors – it could have a hereditary cause, environmental trigger, or could arise from a singular life event.
Evidence suggests that 1 in 4 people in the UK report experiencing mental health issues – and that figure rises even high within Higher Education. Also, while mental health issues are often an ongoing pattern which develops over a period of time, they can also arise suddenly and unexpectedly.
A few daily habits can support good mental health. During the working day, it could be as simple as talking regularly throughout the day with trusted colleagues so that you’re processing feelings and emotions. Doing this will help to ensure that any work-related issues are raised in the right way (and addressed early), which is an important part of building positive working relations.
There are millions of people who are productive while living with diagnosed mental health issues. What’s important is that:
- As individuals, we can look after our own mental wellbeing and are aware how to seek help and support if the need arises;
- As colleagues, we help to support others by not making assumptions – either about their wellbeing or how it impacts on their work – and by knowing how to signpost to useful resources, including those set out in this toolkit.
Your mind and body need breaks to continue to function well. In particular, keep the following in mind:
- Take the time to ‘take 5’ – even (or especially) when you’re busy. If you work at a computer, get up and stretch, make a cup of tea, think about your next holiday – anything which helps to take your mind away from work for a few moments.
- Plan your annual leave – if you can, aim to take leave at regular intervals throughout the year rather than saving it all up for one extended break. Regular annual leave throughout the year can help you to feel refreshed and revitalised. For more advice about how to use your leave entitlement well, visit the Annual Leave Guide webpage.
- Look at the other leave options available to School staff – for example, many staff find that using volunteering leave to contribute to charitable or local community initiatives is a good opportunity to use time away from work in a way that benefits others and generates a sense of purpose and fulfilment.
Mindfulness is the practice of being in the moment, without being pulled into the past or thinking about the future. Practitioners have reported benefits from setting aside as little as a few minutes each day for mindfulness.
Mindfulness is thought to enhance mental clarity and balance, as well as bringing other health benefits such as helping to reduce an elevated heart rate and bring down stress. If you’ve tried mindfulness before and found it difficult to get into the right headspace, don’t worry – it’s completely normal for this to take a little time.
LSE staff have free access to the 10 Minute Mind, a platform which sends subscribers daily mindfulness tracks. For more information, including how to sign up, just visit the Mental Wellbeing webpages.
The science behind better mental wellbeing
It’s not surprising to learn that our brain functions influence our overall health. Endorphins, serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin are naturally occurring chemicals in our brains and are often referred to as the ‘happy brain chemicals’. They’re responsible for many of the positive moods and emotions that can affect our day to day lives.
Here are a few suggestions for how you can take simple actions to positively influence these brain chemicals - improving your wellbeing and mood.
Dopamine enables motivation, learning and pleasure. Provides determination needed to accomplish goals.
Dopamine is typically experienced when:
- Completing a task
- Engaging in self-care activities
- Eating healthily
- Celebrating the little wins
Oxytocin generates feelings of trust, helps motivate us to build and sustain positive relationship, such as:
- Playing with a pet or baby – it doesn’t have to be your own.
- Holding hands with a friend, family member or partner
- Hugs – includes hugging yourself.
- Giving compliments
Serotonin provides feelings of confidence and helps to regulate sleep, memory.
- Meditating/ mindfulness
- Sun exposure
- Any physical exercise such as walkng in nature, Yoga, running, swimming, etc.
The body's release of endorphin can help alleviate mild anxiety and depression.
- Laughter
- Exercise
- Essential oils
- Dark chocolate
These are just some of the ways in which you can take action - even small steps - to positively impact your mental wellbeing. For example, did you know that there’s plenty of evidence for the cognitive benefits of learning new skills? Just click here to find out more about this and other simple steps to better mental wellbeing.