module 4 Flashcards
common factors to balance with studying
- socializing
- employment
- volunteering
- communiting
- holidays
- exercise
- caring for family
- hobbies/interests
a richer world
will inform your daily life, your work, and strengthen your understanding and analyses of the world
expectation and important of study-life balance
- time commitment
- rest
- plan
time commitment
- students are expected to study 24h a day, seven tiems a week
- the expectation for a full-time student is around 30-35 hours of studying a week, including class
rest
allocating time to rest is just as important as studying or exercising. the brain needs time and rest to process new information
- body needs exercise and sleep to keep it in proper state of alertness to focus on learning good
plan
Planning is an important aspect of maintaining a study-life balance. If you commit to well-defined study
times, there will be plenty of time to enjoy a range of other activities.
effects of too much time spent on studying
- negative impact on relationships with family, friends, and partners. It may interfere with your ability to fulfil other non-study related obligations and interests.
- increase the likelihood of unhealthy behaviours such as smoking,
excessive alcohol or drug use, unhealthy eating, feelings of loneliness and isolation, anxiety and/or
depressive symptoms, and, for some, increase the risk of hopelessness and self-harm.
benefits of achieving a healthy study-life balance.
Health & Absences
Efficiency
Engagement
Focus & Concentration
Academic Success
Health & Absences
Having a healthy balance reduces worry and stress and improves health, reducing absences due to
illness.
Efficiency
Having a healthy balance improves efficiency of work during the allotted study hours.
Engagement
Having a healthy balance supports greater connection to and interest in courses, lectures and
relationships.
Focus & Concentration
Having a healthy balance facilitates attention on the task at hand and staying present (mindfulness).
Academic Success
Having a healthy balance improves learning efficiency and productivity, which is needed for academic
success.
wheel of life what does it include
- physical environment
- academic/professional
- finances
- health
- family and friends
- relationships/love
- personal growth
- recreational, culture, hobbies
help asses how your time is spent and if there is a balance
Academic/ Professional
What are your study/work commitments and do you feel when these are done, you have time in the
day for other interests/hobbies and activities?
Finances
Are your finances a worry to you and, if so, have you worked out a solution or sought
advice/support/assistance
Health
How would you rate your overall well-being, including your physical health, mental health, and social
environment?
Family and Friends
Do you feel you take the time needed to stay connected to family and friends?
Relationships/Love
Do you feel you take the time needed to maintain your personal relationships?
Personal Growth
It’s up to you what you define as personal growth. Are you looking for spirituality in your life? Do you
like to read and/or to learn about new things or acquire new skills?
Recreation, culture, and Hobbies
Recreation is a healthy pastime or diversion, and exercise has many important physical and mental
health benefits. Do you have hobbies or interests like visiting galleries, listening to/ playing music, or
other activities that offer relaxation and enjoyment? Do you make time for regular exercise?
Physical Environment
A safe and pleasant home and work environment is important to your well-being. How do you feel
about your home and/or work environment? Does it support your studies, recreation/relaxation, and
good quality of sleep?
self-reflection questions to ask yourself when reflecting on your Wheel of Life
Balance : How would you like your Wheel of Life to look? What are the biggest differences?
Overload : What areas are you spending too much time on and what areas could benefit from more time?
Time On Self and Others : Are you spending enough time on activities/interest that support your own health and mental health?
Are you taking enough time to connect with others?
Changes to Make : What areas on your Wheel would you most like to change and why?
building compassionate campuses
- universities need to consider how institutional contexts, environments, values, practices, cultures, can impact mental health and well-being
- it involves working hard to ensure institutions are inclusive and kind learning communities
connectedness
a personal sense of belonging
- important for well being
- can be made on the b assi of your world view, environment, values, relationships, work, recreational interests
examples of types of connections
- other people
- the natural world
- meaningful values
- meaningful work
- culture and heritage
Other People
Connections with other people can include your friends, family, peers, colleagues, and more.
The Natural World
The natural world refers to all of the animals, plants, and other things existing in nature and not made
or caused by people. Connections with the natural world and getting out in nature can include
gardening, hiking, sightseeing, etc.
Meaningful Values
Connections with meaningful values refers to faith-based activities, and activities that reflect
importance with family and/or personal values.
Meaningful Work
Connections with meaningful work can refer to your work, hobbies, volunteering, or passion projects.
Culture and Heritage
Connections through heritage can include celebrating traditions, cultural holidays, or relating to people
and places from your past.
benefits of being socially included
- sometimes this drive for connection takes precedence and influences our decision making and risk-taking
what does social connectedness refer to
- personal sense of belonging to a group, family, or community
- doesn’t mean physically being present with people but rather someone’s subjective experience of feeling understood and connected to others
benefits of social connectedness
Improve Quality of Life
Boost Mental Health
Increased Life Expectancy
Decrease Risk of Suicide
Build More Inclusive Learning Communities
Improve Quality of Life
Social connection is an important
determinant of health and mental health.
Boost Mental Health
Friendships offer a number of mental health benefits, such as increased feelings of belonging,
purpose, increased levels of happiness, reduced levels of stress, improved self-worth, and confidence.
social connectedness and poor mental health
- bad social support most likely to suffer from mental health disorders like anxity and depression
Increased Life Expectancy
not only impact your mental health, but your physical health as well
individuals with stronger social
relationships had a 50% increased likelihood of survival.
Decrease Risk of Suicide
the Centers for Disease Control defines as “The degree to which a person or group is socially close, interrelated, or shares resources with other persons or groups.”
- Relationships can play a crucial role in protecting a person against feeling isolated, suicidal thoughts,
and behaviours.
Build More Inclusive Learning Communities
Compassion for self and for others; challenging stigma and discrimination (based on race, gender,
sexuality, disability, worldview, or mental state).
social connectedness requires
time and effort
- forming a strong, healthy relationship with other means opening up and actively listening
what is loneliness
- stems from lack or reduced feeling of social connectedness
- can happen to anyone and especially in transitions
- can feel lonely even when around others
definition of loneliness
- unpleasant feeling when your social needs are not being met
- accompanied by desire for social connectedness
what are the effects of loneliness
Increased Cortisol
Increased Sleep Disturbances
Reduced Activity
Increased Risk of Heart Disease
Challenge Immune System
Increased Cortisol
Loneliness can increase your levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which can lead to depression or
even stroke or heart attack
Increased Sleep Disturbances
Loneliness can lead to more frequent sleep disturbances.
Reduced Activity
Loneliness leads to inactivity. You are less likely to be physically active if you experience loneliness.
Increased Risk of Heart Disease
Middle-aged adults who live alone have been shown to have a 24% greater risk of dying of heart
disease.
Challenge Immune System
Loneliness can challenge the immune system and compromises health, similar to chronic stress
a lack of connectoin can take many forms
- withdrawal
- ignoring or being ignored
- lack of support or approval
- feeling of being abandoned
important contributors to self-harm
- lack of social connectness, loneliness, and other risk factors like substance misuse
impact of loneliness on your brain
- study found that ppl between ages 18-22 were the loneliest group and reported more health issue than older people
social media and loneliness
- its often blamed for feeling of loneliness since the perception is that more time spent online means fewer in-person experiences
- study found that there was no significant difference in loneliness scores between those who reported heavy use of social media and those who dont
combating loneliness
- more use of social prescribing as a way to improve connectedness, reduce loneliness, and optimize well-being
Social prescribing:
A holistic approach to health and mental health supporting non-clinical community
based activities to improve social connectedness.
comparing loneliness and social isolation : loneliness
describes the sensation or unpleasant feeling that accompanies the perception that one’s social needs are not being met by the quantity or quality of one’s social connections.
comparing loneliness and social isolation : social isolation
objective measurement of the number of people you interact with. In other
words, social isolation is a lack of quantity of social connections.
impacts of isolation
Physical
Emotional
Cognitive
Physical
Isolation has been linked to poorer health and substance abuse, which in turn negatively impacts
health further and increases risk of disease.
Emotional
Isolation is associated with reduced confidence, feelings of diminished self-worth, despair, depression,
worthlessness, and self-harm. Social isolation is one of the strongest predictors of depression in later
life.
Cognitive
People in prolonged isolation may experience a shortened attention span or forgetfulness as they may
not see any reason or opportunity to remain aware and alert.
introduction to recreation
a person involved in recreation is “re-creating” themselves
- whole point of recreation, to refresh and renew
definition of recreation
- refreshment by means of some pastime, agreeable exercise, or the like 2. a pastime, dive4rsion, exercise, or other resource affording relaxation and enjoyment
what are the 2 types of attention
directed attention
involuntary attention
what is directed attention
- form of focused attention that requires great effort to remain on task and process the information
- mentally demanding, as more appealing external information must be blocked out
example of directed attention
driving in heavy traffic, studying, computer work, phone calls at work
what is involuntary attention
- is effortless
- is held when the subject is interesting and therefore, automatically hold your attention
- is a pleasurable way of processing environmental information and, therefore, comes at no cost to the human in way of tiredness
example of involuntary attention
watching animals or birds, looking at nature scenes or water, watching sport, or listening to music
what can directed attention lead to
directed attention fatigue (DAF)
directed attention fatigue (DAF)
refers to a neuropsychological phenomenon indicating overuse of the brain’s inhibitory system
necessary for maintaining focused attention - such as when you are studying.
areas impacted by D A F.
Input Deficits
Thinking Problems
Behaviour
Executive Functioning
Emotions
Worrying and Rumination
Input Deficits
DAF can result in misinterpretation of and/or failure to notice social cues.
Thinking Problems
D A F can cause restlessness, confusion, and/or forgetfulness.
Behaviour
D A F may cause an individual to act impulsively or recklessly (i.e. acting before thinking).
Executive Functioning
D A F may result in a reduced ability to plan and make good decisions.
Emotions
D A F may cause someone to be short-tempered and have feelings of unpleasantness.
Worrying and Rumination
D A F makes it easier to slip into worry and overthinking, which as you learned in Module 02 can
exacerbate stress.
how to promote attentional recovery
engage in positive activities your find absorbing
how to recover from DAF
- clearing the mind of internal distraciton and take short breaks from directed attention tasks
- getting good quality sleep
- allowing the mind to wander freely (exercise, nature, art gallery)
Attention Restoration Theory (Kaplan and Kaplan)
suggests that you think better (or restore your attention) when you spend time in or connecting with nature.
more about Attention Restoration Theory (Kaplan and Kaplan)
be expanded to feeling restored mentally when immersing oneself in a restorative environment - which might be anything that gets you away from worries and stress and helps restore
your balance.
what has been an increase health problem
physical inactivity
- WHO estimates that 3.3 million people die aorund the world each year due to physical inactivity
-
cost of physcial inactivity in canada
estimated to cost canadians 6.8 billion per year
cost in the UK of physical inactivity
estimated to cost canadians over 8 billion euros
what does exercise release
“feel-good” chemicals called endorphins
- happy feelings reducing sensitivity to pain
- easier to power through and gives safsitafction and self-efficacy
- overall well-being
5 key findings from physical exercise impact
Positive Emotion
Unity of Body and Mind
Heightened Self Esteem
Leisure
Problem-Focused Coping
Positive Emotion
Physical activity has been shown to enhance positive emotions such as pleasure, vigour, and energy,
decreases anxiety, tension, tiredness, and anger. Physical activity
releases endorphins which promote a feeling of happiness, improves concentration and boosts the
immune system
Unity of Body and Mind
Research suggests that there is a feeling of more improved well-being and life satisfaction from active
leisure, such as physical activity, compared to passive forms of leisure activity, such as watching
television or listening to music.
students who engage in physical exercise may be more likely to
engage in other health
behaviours such as healthy eating, avoidance of unhealthy food, and improved sleep.
Heightened Self Esteem
After engaging in physical exercise, there is often a sense of accomplishment that may bring a sense of fulfillment, self-effectiveness, and self-esteem afterwards.
Leisure
Physical exercise is viewed as a leisure activity for many people and they feel it is precious to invest free time for one’s own health. This freely chosen activity may enhance stress coping due to a heightened sense of control over their spare time as well as health.
Problem-Focused Coping
Research shows that leisure time physical exercise contributes to effective coping by enhancing better
problem-focused coping* derived from positive emotion, such as seeking information to tackle problems rather than emotion-focused coping such as blaming, venting, denying, or avoiding.
Problem-Focused Coping
A way of coping through which people actively seek information or help to
tackle a problem directly or diminish its impact.
nature and health
evidence that shows being in
touch with nature and spending time outdoors (in a green environment) is beneficial for both physical
and mental health.
access to green space
e can also help alleviate a range of both mental and physical health problems, including reducing levels of chronic stress, reductions in obesity, and improved concentration.
contact with nature has been shown to
reduce stress within minutes.
benefits of environments rich in wildlife.
Physical Health
Stress
Emotional Regulation
Social Life
Physical Health; wildlife.
Improvements to health through increased physical activity.
Stress ; wildlife
Reductions in stress and anxiety.
Emotional Regulation; wildlife
Increased positive mood and self-esteem
- happier
- less anxious
Social Life; wildlife
A better and healthier social life
A few ways to incorporate nature inside include:
- Keeping plants in your home. Bamboo tends to do well without access to natural sunlight.
- Having photographs of nature on or around your desk.
- Using a beautiful landscape as your screensaver and background picture on your computer.
- Having your morning tea/coffee/breakfast by your window or on your patio or balcony.
- Watching a nature show on television.
- Taking five minutes to meditate to the sound of the ocean or a rainstorm (i.e. streaming
nature sounds via apps or online videos).
To incorporate some outside time into your daily routine, consider:
- Taking your laptop outside and work for a while in a shaded area. If that’s not possible, try to
get some work done while sitting near a large window for part of the day. - Allowing yourself five minutes to walk around a park, large garden, or sports field that you
pass while commuting to help unwind and distress. - Going outside on your coffee and/or lunch break and eat at a picnic table.
A report commissioned by The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)
- looked at the evidence
linking wildlife-rich areas with mental health - report found that continued use of green space for
physical activity is strongly linked to the quality of the landscape - in terms of beauty, diversity, and
contact with nature.
examples of green space increasing levels of physical activity
Health walks and the green gym
Culture refers to
the characteristics and knowledge of a particular group of people. It encompasses language, religion,
cuisine, social habits, music, art, and more
- can be good for your well-being.
Cultural activities come in many forms,
including art, music, reading, writing, and more.
Neurological studies and culture
engaging in purposeful and meaningful activities such as creative pursuits can work like a natural antidepressant by improving mood
flow state
term for the state you get into when you are so engaged in a creative task that your sense of time disappears and you temporarily forget yourself and your “internal chaos”
when do people get into mental state/flow
when theyre swimming or running, but even the repetitive motion involved in a task like knitting can help regulate strong emotions and calm your nervous system
Neurological studies ; and HE FLOW STATE
show that engaging in purposeful and meaningful activities such
as creative pursuits can work like a natural antidepressant by improving mood.
what is being in flow state really effective for
reducing worry, and rumination and increasing well-being
(G L A M ).
Galleries, Libraries, Arts, and
Museums
benefits of living the G L A M lifestyle.
Longevity:
. Resiliency:
Community Connectedness:
Longevity:
The arts and heritage sectors can help keep us well, aid our recovery, and support longer lives better
lived.
Resiliency:
The arts and heritage sectors can help meet major challenges facing health and social care including
ageing, long-term conditions, loneliness, and
mental health.
Community Connectedness:
The arts and heritage sectors offer a range of non-clinical programs. Some are well-being programs
helping communities with preventative lifestyles and others are early intervention support for mental
health difficulties.
SUCCESS OF PRESCRIBE CULTURE
shows the benefit of this approach
as it allows individuals to take a more holistic approach to health and well-being and encourages
ownership and self-management of health.
- it helps them feel connected to the world around them
different programs that are part of the prescribe culture initiative
- national gallery, london
- shangri la museum, hawaii
- parliament hill, ottawa
Grayson Perry, a British artist, once stated:
“Art helps us access and express parts of ourselves that are
often unavailable to other forms of human interaction.”
Grayson Perry, an English contemporary artist, goes on to say that:
..Art flies below the radar,
delivering nourishment for our soul and returning with stories from the unconscious. A world without
art is an inhuman world. Making and consuming art lifts our spirits and keeps us sane. Art, like science
and religion, helps us make meaning from our lives, and to make meaning is to make us feel better.
study McGill University and music
suggests that music releases a chemical in the brain that has a
key role in setting good moods
- dopamine was released at
moments of peak enjoyment
- Dopamine increases in response to other stimuli such as food and money
- . Dopamine is also
associated with less tangible stimuli - such as being in love
- levels of dopamine were
found to be up to 9% higher when volunteers were listening to music they enjoyed
West Virginia University’s School of Public Health study Kim Innes, and music
music seems to “selectively activate” neurochemical systems and brain structures associated with positive mood, emotion regulation, attention, and memory in ways that promote beneficial changes.
Kim Innes what did she compare + results
compared the benefits of music to those of meditation
- both practices were linked to significant improvements in mood and sleep quality. “Both meditation and music listening are potentially powerful tools for improving overall health and well-being,”
the 3 r’s
reading, writing, resetting
about Reading and writing
activities that the majority of people enjoy and help to reset the mind and
relax the body.
- in times of stress, reading and writing are often one of the first things to go.
A study published in the British Journal of Health Psychology ; reading and writing
showed that writing or journaling about an emotional topic lowered people’s cortisol levels, leading to better sleep and an improvement in
mood.
why is writing and reading good for mental health
- it purists creativity and help focus our attention similar to meditating does
- lower stress
- relax muscles
- reduce indigestion and inflammation and increase self-esteem and productivity
- challenges your brain
Cultural heritage
implies a shared bond, our belonging to a community. It represents our history and
our identity; our bond to the past, to our present, and the future.
Over the past few years, heritage organizations
have been developing projects and programmes with the purpose of improving the health of their local
community
The Heritage Alliance, a UK-based membership organization
representing museums, historic sites, etc. launched their Heritage, Health and Well-being Report in 2020
Heritage, Health and Well-being Report in 2020. The report highlights
social benefits of heritage range from increased social cohesion and a greater sense of identity to improved well being and better learning and skills outcomes
HERITAGE FOR HEALTH: PRESCRIBE CULTURE
Students are under ever-increasing pressure and there is a steady increase of students suffering from
anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems. University student mental health needs are exceeding the existing resources, which has pushed for the development of alternative resources
Prescribe Culture
a well-being and mental health initiative run by the University of Edinburgh Museums Services. It is heritage-based and non-clinical, and pro-actively engaging with the concept of social prescribing.
Social prescribing
an approach for connecting people with non-medical resources
(i.e. resources within the community) to help with the health problems they are experiencing.
