"I'm not going to be telling you anything you don't already know", says Christine Blom with a smile, as she welcomes parents to her talk on 'Wellness in the Office and Beyond', a look at mental and physical health in the world of work.
As part of the La Chât Wellbeing Week, parents have been invited to consider the importance of wellness in our own working environments. In this week-long programme of events, our children are being asked to develop healthy habits and better understand the importance of wellbeing in their lives. But are they seeing the same understanding in their parents?
Christine's reasoning seems straightforward. Our health as individuals rests on four pillars: relaxation and mental health; exercise; good nutrition and sleep. If we can maintain a healthy balance between the different elements of our working lives and our physical and mental requirements, we will see benefits in both our personal health and our productivity at work.
As a group, Christine leads us in a five-minute 'body scan' of mindful reflection, silently progressing from the tops of our heads down our entire bodies, taking a moment to release tensions in our posture and breathing, and to acknowledge any little aches and pains.
As we all know, it is often very difficult to prioritise our personal needs in an working environment, especially when employment is less secure than ever, and where the unspoken emphasis is often on long hours and personal sacrifice. As stress levels rise, reports show the costly impact of depression and anxiety in the workplace, linked to the rise in obesity, arthritis and back/neck pain and other chronic conditions.
Depression and anxiety are major causes of mental health issues amongst adults, but are still stigmatized by many people, especially at work. It is important to recognize the signs in ourselves and get help when needed, as well as keeping a watchful eye on those around us, among our family, friends and colleagues, even our children. Screening tools for depression are available online, a good example being the NHS Mood Self–Assessment Quiz from the UK (https://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/Pages/Mood-self-assessment.aspx) and it's good to use those tools and then seek help if needed.
Whether it's by holding 'stand-up' meetings, taking the stairs to use the restrooms on the floor above, or making time for intermittent movement breaks, Christine showed that we can all fit an extra bit of exercises into our lives, to counter the problems of a static workplace.
Although it is often overlooked, sleep is the vital fourth pillar to mental and physical wellbeing. "Sleep works as a cleaning mechanism for the brain," says Christine. By establishing a good sleep routine, we can help our bodies renew themselves and deal better with the stresses and strains of the working day.
Of course, Christine was entirely right: none of this information should come as a surprise to any of us. It ought to be second nature to put these practical tips into play in our daily routine, but for various different reasons, many of us do not.
Yet even small changes can make big differences over time. For the sake of our health and wellbeing, it's time to take responsibility for these decisions both at work and at home and pass these good habits on to our children.
The Second Annual La Chât Wellbeing Week took place on the Secondary campus from 13-17 November. This year, it featured a programme of activities for pupils, staff and parents, including assemblies, workshops, talks and displays around the school.
Christine Blom is familiar to many in her role as School Nurse at Nations, and for the yoga classes that she gives at La Chât. She also works with Health First as a first aid instructor and as a health promotion nurse for companies in the region. Christine's yoga class for Y7-13 takes place on Mondays from 17:00-18:00. Next term, she will be offering Mindfulness classes (.b) for La Chât students on Mondays from 15:40-16:40.