Research* from the UK Care Guide has found startling levels of stress amongst the workforce aged 40 and over, with over two thirds (67%) reporting increased levels of stress thanks to the cost of living crisis.
The survey, based on the data of 1487 respondents, found that a huge 72% directly attributed their increased levels of stress to the tightening of household budgets as a result of the cost of living crisis.
While work-related factors were a major cause, half of the respondents also identified personal and family-related factors as sources of stress.
Saq Hussain of UK Care Guide commented: “Our latest UK Care Guide research reveals a worrying surge in stress levels among UK workers aged 40 and over in the face of the cost of living crisis.
“This issue cuts deeper than just affecting productivity at work. It’s intruding into individuals’ personal lives, straining relationships and fundamentally undermining their mental wellbeing.
“Amidst these challenges, it’s commendable that almost half of those surveyed have adopted some form of coping mechanism to manage their stress levels. However, the glaring outlier is the lowly 20% looking for professional mental health support. This number signifies not only a potential stigma around seeking mental health assistance, but also perhaps hints at the lack of easily accessible mental health services.
“Our findings highlight an urgent call to action for employers, healthcare organisations, and policy-makers alike. There is a pressing need to not only address the root causes of workplace stress but also to create a supportive environment that promotes mental health resources and empowers individuals to effectively manage their stress levels without fear of stigma.”
Ahead of Mental Health Awareness Week (15 – 21 May), a leading vet charity is advocating keeping pets and their owners together through the cost of living crisis.
Nearly all pet owners (94%) say that owning a pet makes them happy, according to new figures from the upcoming 2023 PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report – and their support has been vital, especially as many people have been forced to make drastic cutbacks to stay afloat.
While worrying figures have shown that as many as 770,000 owners are going without necessities in order to keep caring for their pets, almost half of owners (44%) have also said that their four-legged friend has been a lifeline during the cost of living crisis.
Nearly all (90%) pet owners felt having a pet improved their lives, a comfort which is especially important as many feel the impact of the cost of living crisis. This figure is higher especially among dog (91%) and cat owners (89%).
The findings also highlight the benefits of having a pet on overall health, with 87% stating owning a pet makes them mentally healthier. While over two thirds (67%) feel it makes them physically healthier – a figure that is even higher among dog owners (86%).
Meanwhile, at a time where many people are having to juggle energy bills and soaring living costs, which can prove isolating, furry friends are essential when it comes to providing companionship. For example, the figures show that over four in five pet owners (85%) say that owning a pet makes them feel less lonely.
PDSA Veterinary Surgeon, Lynne James, said: “Pets are family, and we know that pet owners will go to great lengths to ensure they can continue to care for their beloved pets. It vitally important that with everything pets do for us, we make sure that they have everything they need to live healthy and happy lives.
“Our latest figures show pets are invaluable, especially when their owners are going through hardship. As the cost of living crisis worsens, the work of charities like ours becomes vital, not only to provide essential veterinary care, but also to keep pets and their owners together in their time of need.
“In 2022, we provided veterinary care for over 390,000 pets, whose owners would otherwise have struggled to afford the cost and may even have had to resort to other options such as rehoming – the mental health consequences of which are unimaginable.
“As Mental Health Awareness Week approaches, I’d like to encourage pet owners who are struggling due to rising costs, and who are concerned about being able to afford the cost of veterinary treatment to reach out to us. Our website includes a free eligibility checker to find out whether they’re able to access our services, which is a great place to start.
“We also have lots of free advice on how to reduce the cost of caring for pets, while ensuring they remain healthy and happy – something we hope will take a mental load off for many pet owners through the cost of living crisis.”
PDSA relies on donations to deliver life-saving treatment to hundreds of thousands of pets across its 48 Pet Hospitals in the UK.
To help keep pets and people together, the charity is urgently calling on the public’s support to prevent vulnerable people having to make a truly heart-breaking decision.
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK
Healthy Heart Tip: Spotlight on Stress
April is National Stress Awareness Month, which aims to highlight the negative health impact stress can have on us.
Proactively managing our stress levels by scheduling in self-care practices is an important part of staying healthy. Specifically relating to heart health, those with higher levels of stress tend to make less healthy lifestyle choices such as not exercising and not eating a balanced diet.
If we are chronically stressed we may also use less healthy coping mechanisms such as drinking more alcohol or eating too much sugar.
Stress is an inevitable part of life, but we can take positive steps to limit its impact on our health.
Take time to recharge
Scheduling in time to recharge throughout your day is a great way to mitigate stress. This could be something as simple as getting outdoors and going for a walk or stepping away from work and listening to some calming music for 10 minutes.
More and more people are turning to meditation to recharge and reduce stress, there are some great free apps available.
Prioritise food and sleep
If we are well-rested and well-nourished, we are more able to handle stressful events. Prioritising your daily seven to nine hours of sleep will ensure you are full of energy and ready to tackle the day, whatever it may bring.
Put steps in place to ensure you keep up with healthy eating even when you are feeling stressed. Prepping your food in advance can help as it makes you less likely to reach for a less healthy option when you may be feeling stressed at the end of the day.
Limit your exposure to the news
While staying on top of worldwide affairs is important for some people, consuming it too often or too much can have a negative impact on our stress levels.
Even if you don’t realise it, these repeated small exposures to negative information (which the news can be) throughout the day will be impacting your stress levels.
Remove the news apps from your phone or turn off the notifications and set aside a specific time every day to get up to date with world events.
The lingering stress of the cost-of-living crisis weighs heavily on the shoulders of many, and with temperatures dropping, food prices skyrocketing, and the New Year in full swing, it is bound to have an added impact on the stresses of everyday life. Therefore, people up and down the country are looking for tips and tricks to ease and eliminate as much stress as possible.
CBD experts Simply CBD have revealed some tips that will help encourage stress relaxation and a stress-free routine that you can implement into your weekly routine.
New analysis reveals that searches in the UK for ‘reduce stress’ increased by 216% over the past month, proving just how desperate we are to find solutions for feelings of overwhelming stress.
In fact, searches for ‘is stress normal’ has seen a huge 635% increase over the past month in the UK, showing just how concerned people are about stress levels and how they can impact their health.
Self-care
Being mindful of your own needs is essential and focusing on self-care will help reduce stress and anxiety tremendously. Some forms of self-care include maintaining a balanced diet and sustaining a healthy sleep schedule but indulging in pampering is often overlooked.
Pampering doesn’t have to break the bank. Forget spa days or trips away; you can easily indulge in pampering at home:
Take a hot bath or shower.
Pop on a face mask and read your favourite book – time away from blue light from your phone also helps relax the mind.
Light some candles and listen to a meditation podcast.
Treat yourself to your favourite home-cooked meal (or take away if you prefer!).
Exercise
Although the thought of exercise can sometimes be exhausting, with long workdays feeling tiring enough, finding the time to get a good workout in can often be the release from a lot of pent-up stress.
Sometimes getting past the mental barrier of doing physical activity is the only thing holding you back from releasing tension and endorphins, aka the body’s natural painkillers.
The exercise doesn’t necessarily need to be intense, and there are many options when it comes to fitting in an hour of increased heart rate:
Go on a walk – Whether with friends, family or just by yourself, getting out for some fresh air and moving your body will work wonders.
Take part in a local exercise class – there are many different options, such as low intensity Yoga and Pilates, which are great options if you don’t want to do an intense workout.
Take part in an online exercise class! – if physically leaving the house to exercise fills you with dread, you will be pleased to know there are thousands of online classes and pre-recorded free videos of workouts that you can do in the comfort of your own home.
Listen to music
Listening to music gives the brain a total workout, and we all know how vital brain health is. By listening to music, you can:
Reduce blood pressure.
Improve memory.
Reduce anxiety.
Improve sleep quality.
Not only can it reduce stress, but it can elevate moods and clear the way for emotional expression; this is why it is great that there are so many genres of music to choose from; just pick whatever gets you out of a funk and makes you feel good!
Experiment with hobbies
By experimenting with hobbies that you might have put on the back burner, you are allowing your body to remind itself of something you enjoy and take pride in. Hobbies are a great distraction and can be the perfect way to relax and forget about the stresses of everyday life.
If you’re struggling to think of a hobby, it’s never too late to find one! By making a list of all the hobbies you would love to try, you are already one step closer to expanding your knowledge, widening your range of skills, keeping your brain working and mind off all things stressful.
Turn the phone off and stay off social media
In a world dominated by technology, we have everything at the push of a button, making it hard to imagine life without it, but keeping so up-to-date and caught up on social media can sometimes be exhausting and lead to unhealthy comparisons.
By turning off your phone or limiting the time spent on social media, you can shut off the constant updates and remain solely focused on other things that might bring you joy. Instead of getting distracted by technology, you could be reading your favourite books, spending time with family and friends, giving yourself a well-deserved pamper or just taking a nap, whatever relieves stress from your day!
The lingering stress of the cost-of-living crisis weighs heavily on the shoulders of many, and with temperatures dropping, food prices skyrocketing, and Christmas credit card bills arriving, it is bound to have an added impact on the stresses of everyday life.
Therefore, people up and down the country are looking for tips and tricks to ease and eliminate as much stress as possible.
CBD experts Simply CBD have revealed some tips that will help encourage stress relaxation and a stress-free routine that you can implement into your weekly routine.
New analysis reveals that searches in the UK for ‘reduce stress’ increased by 216% over the past month, proving just how desperate we are to find solutions for feelings of overwhelming stress.
In fact, searches for ‘is stress normal’ has seen a huge 635% increase over the past month in the UK, showing just how concerned people are about stress levels and how they can impact their health.
Self-care
Being mindful of your own needs is essential and focusing on self-care will help reduce stress and anxiety tremendously. Some forms of self-care include maintaining a balanced diet and sustaining a healthy sleep schedule but indulging in pampering is often overlooked.
Pampering doesn’t have to break the bank. Forget spa days or trips away; you can easily indulge in pampering at home:
Take a hot bath or shower.
Pop on a face mask and read your favourite book – time away from blue light from your phone also helps relax the mind.
Light some candles and listen to a meditation podcast.
Treat yourself to your favourite home-cooked meal (or take away if you prefer!).
Exercise
Although the thought of exercise can sometimes be exhausting, with long workdays feeling tiring enough, finding the time to get a good workout in can often be the release from a lot of pent-up stress.
Sometimes getting past the mental barrier of doing physical activity is the only thing holding you back from releasing tension and endorphins, aka the body’s natural painkillers.
The exercise doesn’t necessarily need to be intense, and there are many options when it comes to fitting in an hour of increased heart rate:
Go on a walk – Whether with friends, family or just by yourself, getting out for some fresh air and moving your body will work wonders.
Take part in a local exercise class – there are many different options, such as low intensity Yoga and Pilates, which are great options if you don’t want to do an intense workout.
Take part in an online exercise class! – if physically leaving the house to exercise fills you with dread, you will be pleased to know there are thousands of online classes and pre-recorded free videos of workouts that you can do in the comfort of your own home.
Listen to music
Listening to music gives the brain a total workout, and we all know how vital brain health is. By listening to music, you can:
Reduce blood pressure.
Improve memory.
Reduce anxiety.
Improve sleep quality.
Not only can it reduce stress, but it can elevate moods and clear the way for emotional expression; this is why it is great that there are so many genres of music to choose from; just pick whatever gets you out of a funk and makes you feel good!
Experiment with hobbies
By experimenting with hobbies that you might have put on the back burner, you are allowing your body to remind itself of something you enjoy and take pride in. Hobbies are a great distraction and can be the perfect way to relax and forget about the stresses of everyday life.
If you’re struggling to think of a hobby, it’s never too late to find one! By making a list of all the hobbies you would love to try, you are already one step closer to expanding your knowledge, widening your range of skills, keeping your brain working and mind off all things stressful.
Turn the phone off and stay off social media
In a world dominated by technology, we have everything at the push of a button, making it hard to imagine life without it, but keeping so up-to-date and caught up on social media can sometimes be exhausting and lead to unhealthy comparisons.
By turning off your phone or limiting the time spent on social media, you can shut off the constant updates and remain solely focused on other things that might bring you joy. Instead of getting distracted by technology, you could be reading your favourite books, spending time with family and friends, giving yourself a well-deserved pamper or just taking a nap, whatever relieves stress from your day!
As the holiday season approaches, for many families their celebrations could be looking very different this year due to the cost of living crisis, increasing fuel bills and squeezes on household budgets.
Educational and Child Psychologists from the British Psychological Society (BPS) have offered their expert advice to manage children’s expectations this festive season, and how to focus on the smaller things that can mean a lot.
“Families might be having to cut back not just on presents and gifts this year, but visiting family and friends, and it may not feel the same as previous years.
“This can cause anxiety and stress for both parents/carers and children and young people when anxiety is already high about paying bills and everyday costs during the winter” says Dr Abigail Wright from the BPS’s Division of Educational and Child Psychology (DECP).
“The festive season can often bring a whole range of different emotions for people, including joy and happiness, but also sadness and worry. These are likely to be heightened given the incredibly difficult times we are living in, and also following the disrupted Christmases of the last two years due to Covid,” adds Dr Denise Miller from the DECP.
However despite these challenges, BPS experts say there are ways to make sure children and the whole family enjoy the festive season, and find the joy in the little things:
Preparation is key. If you are worried about your children being disappointed with gifts, or not seeing as many friends and relatives, gently explain this to them early on, but also explain that it will still be a very special time for everybody.
Explain to children that the most important part of the festive season is spending time with family and friends. When they look back, children’s memories of the happy experiences of the time spent with loved ones will be far more important to them than the number of presents they receive.
In this vein, there may be opportunities to spend time with family and friends which create happy memories and experiences, but cost very little, such as going for a walk, visiting lights, watching a movie on television or playing games, going to a carol service or free musical performance, or borrowing books from the library.
Both children and adults may also enjoy creative activities including making things, drawing, and writing stories and poems. Acts of kindness in the community can also provide a sense of purpose. Perhaps you could set up a Christmas treasure hunt activity for your children and your friends.
If children do become upset because things are not as they expect and show ‘big’ emotions, a good approach to use is ‘emotion coaching’. This is an approach which acknowledges how the child may be feeling while naming the emotion and showing empathy before looking to simply ‘fix’ the problem. This might be discussing an activity which may support them feeling calmer and less upset, or simply having a hug!
Finally, Alison Greenwood of the DECP emphasises the need for parents and carers to look out for themselves, as well as their children at this time of year.
“As parents and carers, do make sure you also take care of yourselves and practice some self-care,” she adds. “Take part in activities you also enjoy, and that promote your emotional wellbeing. Connect with yourself and what is around you – and if you can, use the support of friends and family.”
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK
Healthy Heart Tip: Kindness for Heart Health
The 13th of November is World Kindness Day, an international day formed in 1998 to promote kindness throughout the world.
The idea alone is fantastic, as the more kindness we can get into our lives the better, but did you know that kindness can have a physiological impact on your body and contribute to a healthy heart?
The love hormone
When we witness acts of kindness or do something kind ourselves, we produce a hormone called oxytocin, which is often referred to as the ‘love hormone’.
Oxytocin causes the release of a chemical that dilates our blood vessels and lowers blood pressure. High blood pressure is a risk factor for heart disease, therefore regularly producing oxytocin can have a protective effect on our heart.
Stress
Some studies have shown that those who are consistently kind have 23% less cortisol (the stress hormone) than those who are not.
Long-term high levels of cortisol can negatively impact our cholesterol levels and blood pressure. Therefore, engaging in regular acts of kindness may help keep our stress hormones at bay and protect our heart.
Contagiousness
Kindness is contagious and both those who do the kind act and those who witness it can benefit. When we witness a kind act, we experience a boost in mood and some people even report higher energy, this makes us much more likely to commit a kind act ourselves.
Furthermore, when you carry out an act of kindness, you indirectly have a positive impact on the heart health of those who are observing, as they too receive a surge of the cardioprotective ‘love hormone’, oxytocin.
As new university students are beginning their first year, the habits of their childhood could have serious impacts on their studies and social life; gaming.
Unhealthy gaming habits are becoming more prevalent in students to the extent that the World Health Organization has classed gaming addiction as a disorder.While playing games can improve hand-eye coordination, excessive gaming, or internet gaming disorder (IGD) can severely affect your physical and mental health and ultimately impact your studies.
With this in mind, cyber security experts at VPNOverview have identified the warning signs, consequences, and the best ways to deal with gaming addiction. Acknowledging the warning signs of gaming addiction early can prevent any physical or mental symptoms from worsening over time.
What is video game addiction?
Video games are designed to be addictive. They immerse the player with realistic graphics, compelling sound effects, engaging storylines, and haptic feedback. The possibility that a person can become addicted to video games has been a debate for many years.
The American Psychiatric Association acknowledges that games trigger specific neurological pathways that stimulate pleasure and reward. In extreme cases, playing video games affects the brain in much the same way as alcohol, drugs, and gambling.
This being said, there is a big difference between excessive gaming and video game addiction. It’s important not to panic that you are becoming addicted to gaming unless particular symptoms develop over a long period.
If you feel as though you have demonstrated these three symptoms for at least 12 months, video game addiction may be present:
Impaired control over gaming: The inability to control the urge to play a video game
Increased priority is given to gaming: Gaming takes precedence over any other interest or daily activity
Continuation or escalation of gaming (despite harmful consequences to academic performance, work, social relationships, or health)
What are the warning signs of video game addiction?
According to The American Psychological Association, video game addiction is built on the need to spend more time gaming games.
Withdrawal symptoms are a warning sign of video game addiction. When depriving yourself suddenly of the possibility of playing video games, even for a short amount of time, sadness, irritability, and anxiety are typical withdrawal symptoms.
In addition to these symptoms, less obvious clues may include:
Forgoing basic needs such as eating, sleeping, and taking care of personal hygiene
Loss of interest in other activities, social life, hobbies, and friends
Performing poorly at university due to an inability to focus
Lying to family/housemates about the time spent gaming
Ignoring problems caused by video games
What are the consequences of video game addiction?
In 2020, the most extensive study ever conducted on teenage video game addiction, examining trajectories of pathological video game symptoms over six years, found that 10% of the group of adolescents studied showed physical and mental signs that got worse over time because of playing video games.
Physical effects of gaming addiction
Below are the associated physical risks associated with gaming addiction. These can all be worsened by excessive drinking, poor diet, and lack of sleep typical in university students:
Lowered immune function due to chronic stress
Sedentary lifestyle; lack of physical exercise, weight gain, poor posture, and a higher risk of type two diabetes
Seizures from exposure to flickering graphics and lights
Migraines
Insomnia and chronic fatigue
Poor personal hygiene
Repetitive stress injuries in wrists or hands, including Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Disrupted eating habits
Myopia and other eye conditions
Disrupted sleep
Mental effects of gaming addiction
Video game addiction does not only affect a person’s emotions but also their nervous system. Increased levels of cortisol, also known as the stress hormone, are produced in gamers because of constant overstimulation and hyperarousal. This can cause chronic stress and can lead to the following:
Depression
Anxiety
Lack of concentration
Difficulty managing impulses
Hostility and aggression
Lack of social engagement
Decreased levels of creativity and passion
How to deal with video game addiction?
It is important for students to manage their gaming time effectively, as the compulsion to play can overshadow the heavy workloads that many students face. Below is a list of things you can do to manage unhealthy gaming habits:
Complete your assignments first – Studies have shown that student gamers spend 30% less time reading and 34% less time on coursework. It is essential that gamers set up a healthy routine that only allows game time once they have completed the necessary work, almost like rewarding yourself.
Get exercise– Exercise is very beneficial when reducing stress and improving sleep quality. Keeping active can come in the form of a sociable team sport that will keep you active whilst allowing you to make new friends.
Don’t lose sleep – Studies have shown that 24% of adolescents are gaming past 9 pm. Gaming late into the night has been associated with higher levels of daytime sleepiness and an increase in the time it takes to fall asleep, particularly if games are violent. Sleep deprivation can cause a decline in memory and concentration levels, a big problem for students trying to absorb information, take exams and write essays.
Don’t spend too much time alone in your room gaming – Isolating yourself will only inhibit forming relationships and friendships with the people around you. Social interactions and making friends are imperative to the university experience as you are building a support network to help you through stressful times. Keeping your game in a communal space will encourage more socialising and stop you from appearing unapproachable and isolated.
An expert from VPNOverview commented on the study: “While gaming addiction is rare, excessive gaming is widespread and can negatively affect a student’s mental and physical health. Factors such as loneliness, anxiety, and stress worsen unhealthy gaming habits.
“Students who are perhaps shy and less likely to engage in typical university social events are more likely to develop unhealthy gaming habits. Putting yourself out there and being sociable will help you to form relationships and make the university experience more enjoyable. Reducing the amount of time spent gaming will also have a positive impact on university grades.”
VPNOverview.com are a dedicated team of cybersecurity and privacy professionals offering guidance on these topics in the most accessible way possible.
Whilst playing games, whether it’s a board game or a video game or team sport can be a great way to spend your time, there are numerous benefits that games can have on our mental health.
Neal from SudokuCraze outlines five of the biggest benefits that playing games can have on our mental health:
Reduces stress
Games have been shown to slow our breathing, our heart rate and our blood pressure and can result in giving us a calming effect, therefore reducing stress. By engaging in a gaming activity, whether it be a physical sport, a board game or an online game on a regular basis, can leave us feeling more relaxed and better able to cope with stressors around us from work and home.
Keeps your brain active and healthy
Games and activities that require problem solving and critical thinking are fantastic ways of stimulating our brain to keep it healthy. Grey matter in the brain decreases as we age – a part that is directly responsible for memory, emotions, and cognitive ability. Studies have shown that the more mentally active we are throughout life and into our later years, the more grey matter that we retain and therefore the more healthy and active our brains are as we age. Board games, video games and puzzles are all excellent ways to stimulate our minds and stay sharp, whether we are young or old.
Boosts your mood
Not only are playing games fun, they also work wonders in boosting our mood. When we engage in an enjoyable group activity, our body begins releasing feel-good hormones, such as dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins. These chemicals reduce feelings of anxiety and depression, boost our mood, increasing feelings of happiness.
Increases self-esteem
Often when faced with a new challenge or situation, we may question if we are capable of pushing through and succeeding but through regular games, teamwork activities or sports, we are better able to build our trust in ourselves. Although it may feel scary, or place us out of our comfort zone, consistently working with others on a team can help us to feel more confident both in and out of the team environment.
Increases attention span
Having a longer attention span means that we are able to focus on a single task, for a longer period of time, without becoming distracted. Attention span and focus is a skill that can be improved upon and can benefit us in all areas of our life, from focusing on lectures and schoolwork to sitting through meetings and staying focused on a project at work.
Playing any type of game that requires concentration, whether it be a board game like monopoly or chess, or a video game, can help to increase our attention span and therefore improve both the length of time and the quality of our focus.
Psychologists share tips and tools to help you cope with Christmas triggers
Although Christmas is time for joy and celebration, for many it can be overwhelming and have an impact on their mental wellbeing. With last year’s Christmas being heavily impacted by Government restrictions, this festive season may present new challenges for some.
Psychologists Madeleine Gauffin, Dr Cecilia Radecka and Dag Härdfeldt, at digital healthcare provider Livi share some tips and practical tools to help you manage your mental health this Christmas.
Dealing with stressful family gatherings
Madeleine says: “Consider how you want to spend your time. Just because things feel more open this year, it doesn’t mean you have to spend time with absolutely everyone you know and love.
“If you’re worried about family pressure, try putting boundaries in place. Families can be invasive or cast shame or guilt. You don’t have to justify your decision on how you spend your time. Allow yourself to be honest and try to communicate that”.
Managing anxiety
Madeleine says: “There are several types of anxiety disorders, from Generalised Anxiety Disorder to social anxiety disorder. With the return of office Christmas parties and family gatherings, this year may be particularly challenging for some.
“Although it’s important to talk to a doctor or psychologist about your anxiety, there are a number of tools you can use to cope in the moment when your anxiety feels overwhelming. For example, try this simple breathing exercise to help calm your nervous system and reduce stress in your body:
· Sit or lie down comfortably
· Exhale completely
· Gently and slowly inhale through your nose for the count of 4
· Gently exhale through your mouth for the count of 4
· Pause and hold for the count of 4
· As you breathe, imagine your breath moving around the image of a square
· Repeat for 1 or 2 minutes, or until you feel calmer
“Exercise is also one of the best ways to help you manage your anxiety in the longer term. Exercise triggers the release of endorphins that enhance emotional wellbeing. High intensity aerobic exercise like jogging, running or brisk walking, 2-5 times a week for at least 2 weeks, can be effective in reducing anxiety”.
Dealing with depression
For people living with depression the holidays can be a difficult period. The latest data from the Office of National Statistics found self-reported depression in Great Britain has increased compared with pre-pandemic levels, with one in five adults experiencing depressive symptoms in the last quarter, compared to one in ten prior to the pandemic.
Madeleine says: “During the festive season and winter months, a lack of sunlight has shown a correlation with symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) in some people. This is a type of recurring depression with a seasonal pattern.
Try to get as much daylight as possible. Even a short daily walk can be beneficial . Natural light is the most important cue for maintaining circadian rhythms (the body’s natural sleep/wake cycle).”
Reducing feelings of loneliness
There are nine million lonely people in the UK and four million of them are older people. Christmas is a particularly painful time for older people who experience loneliness throughout the year, but there are a variety of ways which can help to combat feelings of loneliness.
Dr Cecilia says: “Being part of a community gives us a strong sense of belonging. Doing activities that we enjoy is good for our mental wellbeing and a way to meet new people. Try taking part in a book club, choir or volunteering at a community garden. One study found that group singing significantly boosts psychological wellbeing”.
Madeleine adds: “If you can’t see friends or family in real life this Christmas, it helps to make the effort to keep in touch with people in any way you can – video calls or phone calls can help. You can consider starting new networks, too, like an online book club. Or, arrange to have a festive dinner with friends or family over the internet.
“A study has shown that even going for a walk on your own for at least 20 minutes a day can help to reduce feelings of loneliness. When you’re outdoors, your world opens up. You see nature and other people, and this is a good distraction away from your own thoughts”.
When to see a doctor
Madeleine Gauffin, Livi psychologist, said: “Sometimes, you may need professional support to help manage feelings of stress, grief or mental health conditions. If you regularly feel overwhelmed, book an appointment to speak to a doctor or therapist where you feel most comfortable, whether that’s digital or in-person.”.
