Welcome to May’s issue of wellbeing news with news, views and practical wellbeing tips

Whatever your feelings about the election result, you can be sure that we’re all facing a period of uncertainty and change. A real or perceived lack of control over an aspect of life or work is a major risk factor for stress. Many of my friends and associates are facing changed job roles, redundancy and financial concerns. In these situations, it is so important to manage anxiety and stress so that we can make good decisions, face difficult situations more resourcefully and protect our health.
This enews includes information and advice to support you and your organisation to do just that.

Frances Taylor frances@brightsparktraining.net

Sleep well

A new study, based on 1.5m people, has found that getting less than 6 hours sleep a night is associated with early death. However, too much sleep may be a marker for ill-health. The ideal is said to be between 6-8 hours per night and, sleep expert Professor Horne of the Loughborough Sleep Research Centre, says “Five hours is insufficient for most people”. Many diseases and conditions affect our sleep, including stress and depression, and lack of sleep can contribute to heart disease, weight gain, premature aging and accidents.

It’s not just the length of sleep that matters. The quality is also important. Sleep can be divided into a number of cycles and, in order to awake refreshed, we need the type of sleep that allows us to complete these cycles. In my podcast this month, I explain this further and give you a simple sleep- inducing exercise to try out. Or, if you prefer to see the printed word, just email me for a text version.

Breakdown in the classroom

Like many, I was shocked and saddened by the story of the teacher who carried out the horrific attack on one of his pupils. Reading the press coverage, it is obvious that he had a complete breakdown. It’s also clear that there were a number of factors which came together in a potentially lethal combination. This leaves many questions that inevitably will be asked in the forthcoming investigation. And, top of my list would be “Had the employer taken all reasonable steps to support the teacher?”

In cases like these, where there is a combination of home and work stressors, managers are often unclear as to where their responsibilities lie. I am often asked "Do we need to take account of home stress? And If so, how?"

These are the kinds of real-life issues that I cover in my courses on Managers Managing Stress. Find out more about this course.

Who’s driving your bus?

It’s not just our employers’ responsibility to tackle stress, we, as individuals also have a responsibility to keep ourselves as healthy as possible. How often do you feel overtaken by events or stuck with negative feelings? Taking a few, simple steps to take better control of our thoughts and feelings can make a huge difference. It can be as easy as deciding to go through the day looking for the positives, rather than allowing ourselves to be attracted to the negatives. How often do you look out of a window and find your eye drawn to something that is annoying: the lawn that needs mowing, the peeling paint on the window or the ugly building, rather than noticing the colour of the sky or the spring bulbs?

So, to get you started:

• set aside 10 minutes to listen to my sleep well podcast
• avoid negative people whenever possible
• walk by the water - and improve your mood and self-esteem. Just 5 minutes of exercise in a green space enhances mood. All the more so if it is by water. So head out to your local canal, river or lake
• green up - buy a new plant for your workplace. Plants improve concentration and sense of wellbeing. Doesn’t work with drooping or dusty plants, so look after them too!
• say thank you! A simple exercise but really useful to shift your focus to the positives in life. Just write down 3 things that you are thankful for at the end of each day
• take time out to breathe. Each hour, stop what you are doing and take 5 deeper, slower breaths
• arrange a social activity with friends.

Award Wellbeing Centre opened at Barnsley College

Join me and hear how Barnsley College supports students and staff at the EMFEC Health and Wellbeing Conference: Tuesday 29 June 2010, for all those working to develop college wellbeing. The programme includes the award-winning Wellbeing Centre at Barnsley College; practical steps to reduce staff stress and the new Health & Wellbeing Investors in People Good Practice Award.

"Better keep yourself clean and bright; you are the window through which you must see the world."
George Bernard Shaw.

For more information about any of the topics in this newsletter, please visit my website or email me
For free wellbeing tips and exercises please subscribe to my podcast.