Mental Health and Wellbeing

1. All Saints Catholic College Year 11 Preparing for Success Evening Mental Health and Wellbeing

2. Revision Ideas and Strategies

3. Health and Wellbeing Being mentally healthy doesn’t just mean that you don’t have a mental health problem. If you have good mental health, you can: • Make the most of your potential • Cope with life • Play a full part in your family, workplace, community, and among friends • Some people call mental health ‘emotional health’ or ‘wellbeing’. Mental health is everyone’s business. We all have times when we feel down, stressed or frightened. Most of the time those feelings pass, but sometimes they develop into a more serious problem, and this could happen to any one of us. Everyone is different. You may bounce back from a setback, while someone else may feel weighed down by it for a long time. Your mental health doesn’t always stay the same. It can change as circumstances change and as you move through different stages in your life.

4. A Healthy Mind in a Healthy Body The secret to success is to take into consideration the prerequisites for a healthy body. This will prepare the ground for building the foundation of wellbeing and the necessary conditions for success. 1: Moderation. Pay attention to how you lead your life most of the time. A healthy lifestyle is one that doesn't take extremes as a way of life. Be moderate in what you do. 2: Eat well. It is important to pay attention to both what you eat and how you eat. As Socrates said: "Thou shouldst eat to live; not live to eat." A varied diet with vegetables and fresh fruits is good for the brain. Also take time off for meals. 3: Exercise. Students must know the value of exercise because it plays a vital part in counterbalancing the stress responses produced in our bodies by having to meet deadlines and exams. 4: Sleep. Students are getting less and less of sleep which may lead to more stress. The hours of sleep before midnight are thought to be the most beneficial. Students must re-regulate their body clock and go to bed and get up at regular times. 5: Express yourself. The way students feel about their work and other issues in their life plays a huge part in how they deal with stress. It is advisable that students should be realistic whatever happens in their lives.

6. 1. Talk About Your Feelings • Talking about your feelings can help you stay in good mental health and deal with times when you feel troubled. • Talking about your feelings isn’t a sign of weakness ;it’s part of taking charge of your wellbeing and doing what you can to stay healthy. • Talking can be a way to cope with a problem you’ve been carrying around in your head for a while. Feeling listened to can help you feel more supported. And it works both ways. If you open up, it might encourage others to do the same.

7. 2. Keep Active • Regular exercise can boost your self-esteem and can help you concentrate, sleep, and look and feel better. • Exercise keeps the brain and your other vital organs healthy, and is also a significant benefit towards improving your mental health.

8. 3. Eat Well • What we eat may affect how we feel - for example, caffeine and sugar can have an immediate effect. • But food can also have a long-lasting effect on your mental health. • Your brain needs a mix of nutrients in order to stay healthy and function well, just like the other organs in your body. A diet that’s good for your physical health is also good for your mental health.

9. 4. Keep in Touch • Strong family ties and supportive friends can help you deal with the stresses of life. • Friends and family can make you feel included and cared for. They can offer different views from whatever’s going on inside your own head. They can help keep you active, keep you grounded and can help you solve practical problems. • There’s nothing better than catching up with someone face to face, but that’s not always possible. You can also give them a call, drop them a note, or chat to them online instead. Keep the lines of communication open: it’s good for you!

10. 5. Take a Break • A change of scene or a change of pace is good for your mental health. A few minutes can be enough to de-stress you. Give yourself some ‘me time’. • Taking a break may mean being very active. It may mean not doing very much at all. Take a deep breath…and relax. Try yoga or meditation, or just putting your feet up. • Listen to your body. If you’re really tired, give yourself time to sleep. Without good sleep, our mental health suffers and our concentration goes downhill. • Sometimes the world can wait. • You can download relaxation podcasts at www.mentalhealth.org.uk/help/podcasts-and-videos.

11. Before Exams • Eat healthily by having breakfast and plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. Try to avoid junk food. • Avoid alcohol, cigarettes or too much caffeine as this won’t help manage stress. • Get your eight hours sleep. Wind down before bed by putting away your mobile and tablet. • The key to lowering your stress is organisation and preparation. Going into an exam feeling confident because you’ve worked hard is going to be less stressful. • Manage your time. Make a realistic timetable. Stick to it. Everyone approaches revision in different ways so make sure you’ve chosen the method that works best for you. • Plan breaks and treats into your revision schedule in order to reward yourself. This includes exercise breaks. • Plan your social media breaks so that your phone is not interrupting revision. • Learn to recognise when you are becoming stressed. A break or a chat with someone who knows the pressure you’re under will get things into perspective.

12. Before Exams • Remember to focus on yourself not your friends, so avoid comparing your revision with that of your classmates. • Surround yourself with a group of people who will motivate you, and who you can talk to about your exam stress constructively. • If you feel yourself panicking during the exam, sit back for a moment and control your breathing. • Talk to the invigilator in the room if you fear you might have a panic attack. • Read the questions thoroughly and plan your answers to help you feel in control. During Exams

13. After Exams • Remember to keep things in perspective and steer clear of any exam ‘post-mortems’. It doesn’t matter what your friends wrote as it’s too late to go back and change your answers. Put it behind you – the best thing to do is focus on the next exam. • Remember that there is life after exams. Things might seem intense right now, but it won’t last forever. • There will be a point when the exam is over, so working hard for a short time will pay off when you get your results and feel that achievement.

16. Any Questions? Your child’s mentor and Heads of Department will be available as you leave if there is anything you’d like to discuss further.