As we enter the fifth week of our campaign to help students take steps to achieve and maintain good mental wellbeing we are looking at the final step in the NHS’s 5 Steps to Mental Wellbeing – Be Mindful.
The campaign is exploring ideas and things to try which may make you feel happier, more positive and able to get the most from life and your studies.
Be Mindful
Mindfulness can be practised by anyone, at any age, in any place.
It is easy to rush through life without stopping to notice much. Mindfulness can help you to stop, enjoy life more and understand yourself better. It can help you to reconnect with your body and take notice of sensations like sights, sounds, smells and tastes.
Our student Nikita has been giving mindfulness a go as part of her mission to complete the NHS Steps to Mental Wellbeing. Check out how she got on here >
The first step to mindfulness is to take notice of your thoughts, feelings, body sensations and what’s happening around you. Even small changes will help to interrupt your ‘autopilot’ mode and may give you a new perspective on simple, day-to-day things.
Try it out. You could:
- Use your walk to campus to notice the everyday – pay attention to the way your feet feel as you walk, the way the air feels on your face and what you can smell
- When you eat, slow down and enjoy the taste of the food. It doesn’t need to be haute cuisine – your Tesco meal deal or last night’s leftovers are just as useful for practicing mindfulness!
- Choose a regular time to be mindful and try to do it every day. How about a walk at lunchtime or in the evening?
- Try switching to a new seat in your lectures – some of us aim for a regular seat, but choosing somewhere different might give you a new perspective
- Try a new yoga or tai-chi class – both practices are great for developing awareness of your breathing
- Take up mindfulness meditation – classes are widespread and there are loads of resources available online which are free to access and use
Over the next few weeks we will be encouraging all students to try out the NHS’s Five Steps to Mental Wellbeing. Keep an eye on our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts as well as our Student News pages for ideas around how you can get involved.
How to get support if you need it
If at any time during your studies you feel you might benefit from some extra support, we are here to help.
We offer a wellbeing drop-in between 11am-3pm every weekday in the Alsop Building for practical and pastoral support in a confidential space. You don’t need to book – simply come along to the Student Welfare Advice and Guidance Information Point on the ground floor of the Alsop Building (on University Square).
Services available for our students include:
- Student Welfare Advice and Guidance – confidential service to provide help and support to students
- Counselling Service – free and confidential advice to current students
- Mental Health Advisory Service – help and advice with mental health needs
- Big White Wall – 24/7 peer and professional support service
- SilverCloud free online self-help modules – Space from Stress, Anxiety, Depression and Positive Body Image modules which can be completed for free
- Bibliotherapy resources – a collection of self-help books which can be accessed for free
- Relaxation Programme – available to stream and download and is designed to be used with a self-assessment relaxation diary
- Self Help Hub online – Access information about a range of issues including anxiety, depression and exam worries
- Groups and workshops – the Counselling Service run regular groups and workshops
- Additional support – A list of other support networks you can access can be found on our Counselling Service webpages here.