Key Spring Wellbeing Diary Dates

We have compiled a list of key Spring wellbeing diary dates not only to keep you aware of important wellbeing national campaigns and awareness days but also to provide you with ideas for possible events in your organisation.

By increasing awareness of issues that many individuals find difficult to discuss you can gently encourage your people to seek assistance from qualified professionals.  Issues such as depression, keeping fit, skin cancers, mental health, mens’ health, diabetes and becoming a blood donor are all important issues to tackle.

Organisations do benefit from increased engagement, reduced absenteeism through prevention and increased productivity by supporting even just one of these initiatives.

The key wellbeing diary dates for 2017 are:

World Health Day  7th April

World Health Day, celebrated on 7 April every year to mark the anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organisation (WHO). The theme for this year is depression.

Depression causes mental distress and impacts on people’s ability to carry out everyday tasks. It can sometimes have a devastating impact on relationships and the ability to maintain a job. Unfortunately, among 15-29-year olds suicide (as a result of depression and other mental health issues) is now the second leading cause of death. It affects people of all ages, from all walks of life and in all countries.

Having a better understanding of can help to reduce the stigma and lead to more people seeking appropriate help and support.

WHO have developed resources and materials to help raise awareness. Click here

 

National Walking Month  1st – 31st May

Many adults in the UK spend more than seven hours a day sitting or lying down.

New data suggests more than half of us only go for a walk at work when we need the toilet.

Studies have linked excessive sitting with being overweight and obese, Type 2 Diabetes, some types of cancer, and early death.

Sitting for long periods is thought to slow the metabolism, which affects the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar, blood pressure and break down body fat.

National Walking Month is challenging you to #Try20 – that is walking for 20 minutes every day throughout the month.

Encourage everyone to be more active by;

  • Getting up from their desks to talk to their colleagues rather than emailing or phoning them;
  • Hold stand up meetings;
  • Organise a lunchtime walk; and / or
  • Organise some physical activities after work that everyone can get involved in

 

Sun Awareness Week  8th – 13th May

Eight out of ten people are failing to adequately apply sunscreen before going out in the sun and 70% are not reapplying every two hours as recommended, according to a survey carried out by the British Association of Dermatologists.

It is recommended that everyone applies sunscreen and reapplies regularly for three key reasons:

  1. To make sure that the product is fully absorbed before skin is exposed to sun
  2. To help reduce the chances of areas of skin being missed
  3. To ensure that you have continued cover over time.

 

Mental Health Awareness Week 8th – 14th May

Mental Health Awareness Week 2017 will take place from 8-14 May, with the theme of ‘Survive to Thrive’.

Given the complexity of life and daily pressures, increasing numbers of us may experience mental health issues such as high levels of anxiety, stress and depression. Sometimes, we all feel and accept that this is the price we have to pay for keeping our lives on track.

However, Mental Health Awareness Week, sets out the real cost of being stuck in survival mode in terms of our health, relationships and future options.

Have conversations, including at work, about what can be done to move from survive to thrive.

 

Men’s Health Week 12th – 18th June

Men’s Health week 2017 this year is focusing on belly fat. This is because it’s this type of fat that’s bad for your health and men are more likely to have it.

Belly fat lurks not just beneath the surface of the skins but also surrounds your vital organs.

Regardless of your overall weight, a large amount of belly fat increases your risk of:

  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes
  • Colorectal cancer
  • Sleep apnoea
  • Premature death from any cause
  • High blood pressure

Men need to consider how the measurements below impact on their health and what action they can take to address.

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For more information visit Men’s Health Forum

World Blood Donor Day 14th June

World Blood Donor Day raises awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank voluntary unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood.

Visit Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service for information about upcoming donation sessions.

 

Diabetes Week 11th – 17th June

There are currently 4.5 million people in the UK living with the condition, and 11.9 million more at increased risk of getting Type 2 diabetes.

Despite these huge numbers, 25 % of people do not think diabetes is something for them to worry about and do not understand what it is.

Today, 65 people will die early from the condition and hundreds more will face life-changing complications that could have been avoided or delayed if they’d had the right knowledge and support to manage their condition.

The theme for Diabetes Week 2017 is Know Diabetes. Fight Diabetes.

Offer an in-office health check for the team with one of the local charities.  Early detection can  assist someone manage a lifelong condition.