Health & Wellbeing
Health & Wellbeing
At LUU we encourage all of our staff to look after themselves inside and outside of work, to help achieve balanced, happier and healthier lifestyles. Healthy lifestyles are not just about the way you eat and the exercise you do, but also the type of work you do, your pace of life and your mindset. We know that mental health and physical health are interlinked, so if you need some extra support you might want to check out our Mental Health Support page too.
Staying Active
There's lots of ways to stay fit indoors and outdoors. Check out our top tips to keep you moving.
Online Classes
There's lots of videos on Youtube for workouts you can try at home. Check out Yoga with Adriene for videos for a range of abilities.
Missing your usual gym classes?Les Mills on Demand are used in loads of gyms across the UK, and now they're offering a 30 day free trial so you can do them at home. Choose from favourites like Body Pump, Body Balance, Sh'bam, and much more.
Walking Trails in Leeds
Leeds offers a number of fantastic walking trails to enjoy.
Click here to have a look through this blogpost, written by Yahya Al-Gunaid, and see if any are near you .
Leeds List have a great selection of Walks too, whether you want a short lunch time break, or a longer hike.
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds has a fantastic gym called 'The Edge' on campus. The complex includes a 200 station fitness suite, one of the largest at any UK university.
Whilst The Edge are currently closed, they're holding a great selection of free, live fitness classes via Zoom each week, to keep you fit and active wherever you might be. They also post workouts and blogs created by The Edge personal trainers, group class instructors and the Health and Wellbeing Team to support you staying active and healthy at home.
To take part or view their timetable visit The Edge - Your Home, Your Move.
From orienteering to rowing, cycling to canoeing, the University of Leeds have teamed up with Sport England to provide a range of outdoor activities that we can all experience and enjoy. No equipment, gym membership or experience is necessary, just come and have fun!
Couch to 5k programme - Why not use this time to get into running? Get Out, Get Active have created a nine week programme that will take you from the couch to running 5K. You'll get clear feedback on how much you're improving your fitness, as you'll be able to run further each week.
5K to 10K running programme- Increase your running distance and knowledge and take part in a new challenge with Get Out, Get Active’s first 5K to 10K programme. It will have you running a 10K within 12 weeks.
Eating Well
Eating well is important to give you the energy that you need to be at your full potential throughout the day. Did you know your body burns energy even when you are sitting still?
Check out these 8 tips for healthy eating, recommended by the NHS, or visit One You Leeds - Eat Better, which offers advice, a list of handy apps and free personalised support. These tips are just guidelines, and there’s no one size fits all approach to healthy eating. This doesn’t mean you have to cut out all your favourite treats - balance is key.
It's easy to be confused with all the complicated messages we get about food today. If you want to learn the science behind nutrition to help you make informed choices about your own diet and wellbeing, we'd recommend this free online course on Future Learn - Nutrition and Wellbeing Course (4 weeks),
Our EAP also has a range of 4 week programs including Eating Healthily, Caffeine, Healthy Lifestyle and Hydration. LUU staff can access this through the My Healthy Advantage app (unique code MHA152161), or visiting Health Assured EAP with the username 'endsleigh' and password 'StudentUnions'.
If you're worried about your current eating patterns Togetherall's Concern About Eating Self Assessment can help you reflect on your current habits. Visit our Mental Health Support page for more resources if you feel you are struggling with eating problems, or are supporting someone who is.
Sleeping Well
Whether you’re staying up too late, or sleeping too much, not getting the right level of sleep can have a negative impact on how you think and feel day to day. Lots of people struggle with getting the right level of sleep, so you are definitely not alone.
If you’re concerned about your sleep, try this Sleeping Self Assessment from Togetherall
Try this Togetherall course to Improve your sleep
Here’s some top tips for managing sleep from Every Mind Matters.
Try out the NHS app, Pzizz, to help calm your mind, fall asleep fast, stay asleep and wake up refreshed.
Moving more can help you sleep better too. Try to find a way to exercise that you enjoy - have a look at the Staying Active section above for inspiration.
Mindfulness
What is mindfulness? Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us. Visit mindful.org to find out how mindfulness can help you in your personal and working life.
Balance
Balance is a personalized meditation program that can improve your stress, sleep, mood, and focus. It also teaches concrete techniques that can help you cope with any fear, anxiety, or uncertainty you may be feeling during this challenging time.
Click here to download. Only available on the Apple Store for iPhone and iPad.
Headspace
Headspace is a great app for meditation and mindfulness. They've brought out a free section of their app called 'Weathering the Storm' especially to help people cope with the current situation.
Got a spotify student account? You can access the whole app for free.
Calm
Sleep more. Stress less. Live Better.
Learn the skill of meditation, get more restful sleep, listen to music to help you relax, watch videos on mindful movement and listen to audio programs by mindfulness experts.
Try Calm for free.
Visit: Calm
Mindfulness for Wellbeing and Peak Performance Online Course - delivered by Monash University, this free online course will take you 6 weeks to complete. You will be e-mailed new course content each week that you can do at any time you like. Learn mindfulness techniques that will reduce stress and improve performance.
Mindfulness Ted Talks - a collection of talks on mindfulness, ranging from 10 mins - 20 mins.
Omnitherapy Course on Mindfulness - try this free online CBT-based course delivered by NHS therapists. It is delivered through a series of video sessions that you can complete anywhere, at anytime, at your own pace.
Breathing Techniques Exercise through the My Healthy Advantage app which LUU staff can access with the unique code MHA152161.
Work Life Balance
Try out these practical suggestions to help manage your work-life balance
Set up your outlook calendar with your working hours so people know when you are working.
Plan in project and work time. Your calendar isn’t just for meetings, plan in your lunch and when you want to work on something without interruption. Consider booking out Meeting free days.
Set your out of office up for when you are away from your desk or you are off. This takes the pressure off feeling like people are waiting for a response, as they know you are not there.
If you have work-based communications on a personal device, then consider if you need them on there or if it is tempting you to look. If you need it then consider turning off the notifications, so you are only looking within your working hours.
Consider putting your working days and hours on your email signature so people know when you will be in the office and available.
A collection of Ted Talks on work life balance.
Help find balance in your life by using Mindtools wheel of life to get a 'helicopter view' of your life.
Ten Tips for a Better Work Life Balance
Struggling with a work-life balance? Challenge yourself to trying at least two of these this week.
Work Life Balance 10 min read
The Mental Health Foundation talks about how you can identify the signs of an unhealthy work-life balance and take some practical steps to help you.
Learning
Wellbeing Courses
We have a wide range of courses available on Love to Learn to support you with your wellbeing and health.
Some areas you could learn more about are:
Physical Health
Stress, Resilience and Mindfulness
Agility and Mindset
Emotions and Behaviours
Values, purpose and confidence
To access the system follow this Love to Learn Link.