City : Motivation, Health and Wellbeing Academy : Healthy Living

A healthy life style is very important – especially in a stressful time of your life. One of the best ways to deal with stress and tension is exercising.

Exercise and a healthy diet are also essential to keep your brain operating at its best and to make you feel good about yourself whilst job hunting.  . Being and feeling healthy will help you sleep better, be happier and look better. There is no reason not to do it!

• Exercising

  The cheapest way of doing this is to just throw on a pair of running trainers and head outside for a jog. An alternative would be to get on your bike and do a cycle tour – Bracknell Forest Council informs about regular cycling tours that are announced on their Twitter account. Why not follow them? The council also provides lots of information on healthy living, just follow this link.

  On the Bracknell Forest Council website you can also find links to all the sports you can do in the area – from A like Aerobics or Aikido to Z like Zumba. Just follow this link for more information.

  Another option to do some exercise is to head out to your local gym or to any of the exercise clubs around Bracknell Forest. Here are a few that you might want to try:

  Here are some gyms and sports activities in Bracknell Forest:

  • The Royal County of Berkshire Health Club & Racquet Club
  • Kettlebell Fever
  • Living Well Health Clubs
  • Bodyology
  • Peak Fitness
  • Bracknell Ski Slope

  Remember that even when everything else seems to be difficult and stressful you can get a real sense of achievement from exercising. If you beat your PB or your team wins a match this can keep you upbeat and cheerful and give you the burst you need to keep going with job apps!

  Exercising also releases endorphin – the hormone that makes you happy! Doing sports can therefore get you into a better mood and make you feel more motivated.

• Healthy Diet

  Maintaining a healthy diet does not necessarily mean trying to lose weight – it means eating regular, healthy meals to give your body and brain what they need to operate at their best.

  In stressful times it is very tempting to eat fast food and readymade meals – try not to fall into this trap! Readymade meals (even those that promote to be healthy diet products) have very little left in terms of nutrients and vitamins. In fact: many diet products are even unhealthier than their “normal” counterpart!

  So why not try and cook yourself instead – it is a lot easier than you might think and this way you actually know what is in the food you eat.

  Two left hands at cooking? There are many meals you can make that do not require you to be a four-star cook. Check out BBC good food or student recipes for quick and easy recipes.

  If you have some spare money you could also attend a cooking course.  Bracknell and Wokingham College has a wide range of cooking courses including “Healthy meals on a budget” and “Quick and easy Main Meals”.

  Taking a cooking course and cooking in general is also a really great thing to do with friends – you could have regular cooking sessions together; it is a lot of fun and it saves money at the same time!

  For some more information on diet and exercise including weight management, being active and diabetis go to the NHS website.

• Healthy Living

  Caffeine

  Coffee can be a real life saver, especially if you aren’t a morning person! Too much coffee can make you worried and anxious and stop you sleeping, so not ideal if you are already stressed because you are looking for a job.

  But remember that the recommendation is that you only have three coffees per day. Coffee stays in your system for 6 hours so, if you want to go to bed at 11pm, don’t have a coffee after 5pm otherwise you won’t sleep. 

  Smoking

  Every year around 100,000 people in the UK die from smoking, with many more deaths caused by smoking-related illnesses. Smoking increases your risk of developing more than 50 serious health conditions – so if you are smoking the risk that you might develop one or several of these is very high!

  About half of all regular cigarette smokers in the UK will eventually be killed by their addiction - that is every second person that smokes!

  The NHS gives you a lot of information about smoking and the related risks. Your local GP can also help you if you decide to stop smoking.

  You can also find support here:

  • Smokefreelife Berkshire
  • Stop Smoking Support Bracknell and Ascot Clinical Commissioning Groupby the NHS
  • Solutions4Health

  Alcohol

  

  If you are over 18 then having a drink once in a while can be a fine way to relax, but you can easily overdo it. There is great advice on the NHS site about sensible drinking. Too much alcohol can leave you hung over and incapable of working the next day so drink in moderation!If you don’t drink very often and never very much, alcohol does not do much damage, but this changes as soon as larger amounts are consumed or if you drink more than the recommended maximum units over a long period of time – this is especially true for young people. Whilst the body is still growing alcohol (as well as tobacco) has a negative impact on growth and muscle growth in particular.

  Alcohol is also a factor in 20-30% of all accidents – in 2012 for example there were 280 drink drive deaths in the UK. Alcohol also often plays a role in suicide deaths.

  For more information and support you can always ask your local GP or contact one of the following organisations:

  • Alcohol Education Trust 
  • Drink aware
  • Bracknell and Ascot Clinical Commissioning Groupby the NHS

  Drugs

  The negative effects of illegal drugs on the human body are vast and there are very good reasons why they are illegal. No matter how stressful and difficult a job search (or life in general) can be – taking drugs is never a solution and will have a serious impact on your wellbeing, your social life and your ability to work.

  Here are some links that provide information, support and guidance on drugs and drug related issues

  • FRANK 
  • NHS
  • Smart! 
  • addaction

  Medication

  

  Before you take any form or medication you should always speak to your doctor. Also remember that a number of small things can be sorted without medical help by making changes to your lifestyle.

  Herbal remedies can be a popular alternative to prescribed medicines, but even things like St Johns Wort and Valerian should only ever be taken if you have first had a conversation with your doctor.

  If you feel that you need a stronger medication for your anxiety then speak to your doctor who will decide if it is appropriate for you to take any sort of medication.

   

• Summary

  • Exercise: This can make a huge difference, especially if you do your exercise out in the fresh air. It will help you stay calm and sleep better.
  • Sleep: Getting a regular 7/8 hours a night and getting used to waking up early will help you feel more alert.
  • Maintain a healthy diet.
  • Stop smoking (if you do).
  • Cut caffeine.
  • Cut alcohol.
  • Do not do drugs.
  • Switch off: The light from the screen on your phone, tablet or laptop is designed to keep you awake. So if you want to sleep better then make sure you switch off or don’t use your kit in the hour before you want to go to bed.

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