Now more than ever, it is so important to check in with ourselves and promote positive mental well-being in daily life!
After the lockdown affecting us all in multiple ways; being out in nature and enjoying our coastlines has become increasingly more popular. With the month of May being celebrated as Mental Health Awareness Month, it is so important to keep checking in on yourself and try and get yourself out of the house, down by the ocean and get out into nature.
Check in with yourself..
Did you know that every 1 in 6 adults in England suffer from a mental health disorder and every 12 in 100 female engineers suffer with some form of mental heath? Further, a study at Exeter University suggested that only 60% of the working population spend two hours a week in nature to support their mental health. Another common feeling we have all can feel is “imposter syndrome”, where an individual does not believe their successes are due to their own effort or skills.
Being by the ocean has been found to reduce both heart rate and blood pressure and has significantly been found to improve your general mood and sleep, so even just getting out and exercising, our brain releases serotonin – a happy hormone for us! Lucky for us, the ocean is linked to every aspect of our daily lives, covering 70% of the Earth’s surface.
So, next time you find yourself strolling along the beach, try taking a moment to meditate and really take in your surroundings. What can you smell? Feel? Taste? The waves? Can you see spot any dolphins? It has been found that there is a big link between feeling calm and relaxed with the thought of the ocean! By focusing on your surroundings, any previous feelings will have been placed to the back of your mind. As humans, we are always thinking of the next event happening and rushing around with life. So, take, as little as 10 minutes everyday to breathe and practice mindfulness and this can make all the difference.
Take care of yourself..
For more in depth information on how the ocean improves our mental health, I would highly recommend the book “Blue Mind” by Wallace J.Nichols, suggesting that we subconsciously fall into a mild meditative state when we are near or under water. Well worth a read.
Even if you are not able to get down to the ocean, for help to relax in your own home comforts surrounded by the sea, the charity Mind have courses to broaden your experience in mindfulness.
So my advice to you would be: embrace your feelings, live at your own pace and remember that comebacks are always stronger than setbacks. Remember, never doubt yourself, we are all doing amazing. Keep checking in on yourself and try and get yourself out of the house, down by the ocean, making sure you are happy and healthy.
Katherine McGregor Education Assistant
References
Am I Doing Enough- Imposter Syndrome During COVID-19. 2022. (Online).
https://alltogether.swe.org/2020/05/am-i-doing-enough-imposter-syndrome-during-covid-19/ (Accessed 27th May 2022).
Forde, O., (2022) Wellbeing and Relaxation at the Aquarium (Online). Available at: https://www.national-aquarium.co.uk/blog/wellbeing-relaxation-aquarium/ (Accessed 27th May 2022).
Joanne K. Garrett, Theodore J. Clitherow, Mathew P. White, Benedict W. Wheeler, Lora E. Fleming. 2019. Coastal proximity and mental health among urban adults in England: The moderating effect of household income. Health & Place.
Land Rover Brings Nature to London for Mental Health Awareness Week 2022. 2022. (Online) https://www.lbbonline.com/news/land-rover-brings-nature-to-london-for-mental-health-awareness-week-2022 (Accessed 27th May 2022).
Mathew P. White, Ian Alcock, James Grellier, Benedict W. Wheeler, Terry Hartig, Sara L. Warber, Angie Bone, Michael H. Depledge, Lora E. Fleming. 2019. Spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature is associated with good health and wellbeing. Scientific Reports, 9 (1).
Mental Health Awareness Week. 2022. (Online). Available at: https://oceanconservationtrust.org/mental-health-awareness-week/ (Accessed 27th May 2022).
Mental Health & Women in STEM. 2022. (Online). https://alltogether.swe.org/2020/06/mental-health-women-in-stem/ (Accessed 27th May 2022).
Women in Science: Overcoming “Imposter Syndrome”. 2022. (Online) http://blogs.einsteinmed.org/women-in-science-overcoming-imposter-syndrome/ (Accessed 27th May 2022).
