Men encouraged to take care of their mind and body
Published: 16 June 2023
The Isle of Wight Council is highlighting five ways to wellbeing as part of Men’s Health Week.
Men’s Health Week is an opportunity to consider activities and events to remind men to prioritise looking after their body and mind.
The five ways to wellbeing are:
Connect —Meeting up with friends and family can promote positive wellbeing, with social connections helping ward against anxiety and depression and increasing self-esteem and empathy.
Be Active — Take steps to build activity into daily life. Spring and summer with more hours of sunlight are a great time to enjoy the Island.
Take notice — Slow things down. This can strengthen and broaden awareness and calm the mind.
Learn — Enhance self-esteem and encourage interacting with others for a more active life with continued learning.
Give — Committing an act of kindness once a week over a six-week period is associated with an increase in wellbeing. Giving can mean your time or your thoughts.
Mental and physical wellbeing are very dependent on each other. A key theme this year is anxiety, fuelled by the cost-of-living crisis.
Councillor Michael Lilley, the council's Mental Health Champion, said: “A big fall-out symptom from COVID-19 has been the rise in anxiety among our population.
“As Isle of Wight Mental Health champion, I have advocated for grant funds to be targeted to community-based groups near and accessible to people’s homes, such as the Veteran’s HUB in Ryde and mental health support groups in Ventnor. Our grant fund also supported Men Only Isle of Wight, the first targeted men’s mental health project on the Island.
“The council is working closely with partners to support residents. Healthwatch Isle of Wight has put mental health as one of their 2023/24 priorities and mental wellbeing is a key Public Health priority through the Mental Health Alliance.
“Help comes in many ways, if you feel you might need some, please seek it out."
