Tag: Wellbeing

How to rest after exam season 

Author Student Communications | Posted on

Getting to the other side of exam and assessment season should feel liberating, right?  You might expect to feel a wave of relief now that it’s all over, but more often than not, you’re left feeling exhausted and a bit flat.   

After an intense period of pulling all-nighters, caffeine-fuelled cramming, and some questionable ‘meals’, it’s understandable if your mind and body feel out of sync. 

We’re here to remind you that you’re not alone. It’s completely normal to feel this way and wonder “now what?” 

As things start to slow down, it can be hard to know what to do next. So, we’re sharing some simple ways to help you rest, reset and feel like yourself again.

You need to rest, but first…

Celebrate the win! Completing an exam is a big achievement, so take a moment to recognise the effort and commitment you’ve put in (go you!) 🥳 

When exams finish, the stress hormones that keep you alert and focused can stick around for a while. This can leave you feeling worn-out and emotionally depleted. It may seem obvious, but rest is crucial to recovery.  

So, give yourself permission to rest.  

When we think of rest, our first thought is to sleep or take a nap. While these can work for some people, it can also come in the form of:

  • Gentle movement – this could be walking or a yoga class with your free MOVE membership 
  • Practicing mindfulness and breathing exercises (in for 5, out for 5, repeat) 
  • Getting lost in a good book, game or watching a TV show (even if it means re-starting your favourite one) 
  • Spending time outdoors and away from a screen.
Woman walking in nature park forest and breathing fresh air

Reconnect with the basics 

During exam season, it’s easy for everything else to fall away. We get it – we’ve all been there. Now’s the time to reconnect with the things that you’ve put on hold and the people that make you feel good. 

It doesn’t need to be anything big. The key is to focus on something that takes your mind away from anything study related. Something as simple as grabbing a coffee or going for a short walk with a friend works. Just step away from the exam talk. 

If you need inspiration for something to do, there’s lots of free events in Bristol to check out.  

And if basic things like movement and nutrition have taken a back seat, try bringing them back into your daily routine too.  

After a busy or stressful period, it’s easy for healthy habits to slip. But small, consistent actions can make a real difference to how you feel. Eating a balanced diet helps restore energy levels, while moving your body can reduce tension. Start small – a nourishing meal, some fresh air or a gentle stretch. Keep things simple to support your body as it recovers.  

Reflect and reset 

An important part of the process is to step back and reflect. What do you think went well? What might you do different next time? This can help you to stay motivated and come up with a clear plan to achieve the next goal. 

Sometimes the exam doesn’t go as planned. That’s okay. It’s natural to feel disappointed, but it’s important not to get caught up in negative self-talk. 

If you don’t get the results you were hoping for and you’re worried about resits, we have guidance for what it all means.  

University isn’t easy but you are here because you are capable. This is a chance to adjust your approach and try again. That could be switching up your revision plan, asking for help from a Student Experience Coach, or brushing up on your study skills. 

Read our full blog post for the resources, services and advice on hand to get you through resits. 

If this year felt especially hard 

We have a range of resources and a team of people here to support you if you’re struggling. Whatever you’re going through, help is available.  

Get instant support with the Wisdom app or find support that feels right for you. 

Download the Wisdom app logo

Staying Connected: Tackling Loneliness Over the Summer

Author Student Communications | Posted on

For many students, summer is something to look forward to; a break from deadlines, lectures and early starts. But for others, it can feel somewhat difficult.

Whether you’re staying in Bristol while friends head home, or returning to a family environment that feels a bit complicated, loneliness can show up in ways you might not expect.

If you’re staying in Bristol this summer

A quieter campus and fewer familiar faces can feel isolating. But Bristol is still very much alive over the summer and there are ways to stay connected, often without spending much money.

Find low-pressure ways to meet people
Look for relaxed, drop-in style activities where there’s no expectation to already know anyone.

You could also try:

  • Board game cafés like Chance & Counters (regular social events)
  • Creative spaces like Spike Island (free exhibitions and a calm place to spend time)
  • Cinema and café spaces like Watershed (often host talks and screenings you can attend solo)
  • The Wardrobe Theatre (affordable leading fringe theatre venue in Old Market)

Make the most of Bristol’s outdoor spaces
Getting outside can help break up long days and lift your mood.

  • Clifton Downs – ideal for a walk, a picnic or just sitting in the sun
  • Brandon Hill – a quieter green space with views over the city
  • Harbourside – a good place for a walk, coffee, or sitting by the water

Stay connected to university support
Even outside of term time, our support services are still there if you need them.

Create your own routine
Without the structure of lectures, days can blur together. Try building small activities into your week. For example:

  • A regular study or job-search block
  • A weekly trip to a café (Stokes Croft and Park Street have lots of great options)
  • A set time for exercise or a walk

Do something that gets you around people (without pressure)
Even being around others can help you feel less isolated, even if you don’t know them personally. For example:

  • Visiting Bristol Museum & Art Gallery
  • Spending time at St Nicholas Market
  • Sitting with a book or laptop at a busy café

If you’re going home (and it feels complicated)

Going home isn’t always a simple or comforting experience. Family dynamics, expectations, or feeling like you’ve changed while everything else hasn’t can all contribute to anxiety or loneliness.

Set realistic expectations
It’s okay if things don’t feel perfect. Try to avoid putting pressure on yourself to have a ‘perfect summer’ or to fix long-standing dynamics in a short time.

Keep part of your independence
Maintaining small elements of your university routine; whether that’s going for a solo coffee, continuing hobbies, or setting aside time for yourself can help you feel grounded.

Stay digitally connected
Regular messages, voice notes or video calls with friends in Bristol or elsewhere can remind you that your support network is still there and that these periods of time are just temporary

Small steps that can help, wherever you are
Loneliness isn’t always about being physically alone, it’s about feeling disconnected. The good news is that even small actions can help rebuild that sense of connection.

Reach out to existing or old friends in your hometown
Sending a simple message like “How are you getting on?” can often lead to more connection than you expect.

Get outside
Spending time outdoors has been linked to improved mood and reduced stress: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/a-z-topics/nature-and-mental-health).

Limit comparison
Social media can make it seem like everyone else is having an amazing summer. Remember, social media isn’t real: you’re only seeing a highlight reel.

Know when to ask for support
If loneliness starts to feel overwhelming or persistent, it’s important to speak to someone.

Final thought

Summer can look very different for everyone. Whether you’re staying in Bristol, heading home, or somewhere in between, your experience is valid.

Connection doesn’t have to be big or dramatic; sometimes it’s just one message, one conversation, or one small plan that helps.

And if this summer feels tough, that doesn’t mean it will always feel that way.

Make time for your soul

Author Student Communications | Posted on

We talk a lot about mental and physical health. What about spiritual health?

Today we’re turning our attention to looking after your soul.

Look in

Student life can be very busy, with studying, socialising and part-time work. It can be easy to ‘just get on with it’ and not take time to reflect on what’s happening in your life – the good, the bad and the ugly.

Make sure you take time to take stock. Don’t let life just happen to you.

Take some time out to just think. Some people find journalling helps – either with free text, lists, mind maps or drawing.

Here are some pointers to get you thinking:

  • Where am I growing at the moment?
  • What is ‘giving’ to me and what is ‘taking’ from me?
  • Are the decisions I’m making now ones I’ll be happy with in one, two- or five-years’ time?

Or you can reflect with apps – there are some good ones available.

Look out

Being linked to a community is good for the soul.

A recent survey in the UK found that people who are part of teams, hobby clubs, community or religious groups are 24% more likely to report feeling happy.

UWE has loads of student societies for a broad range of interests and if there’s not one that you like the look of, grab some like-minded students and set one up!

Volunteering is also good for the soul.

A national charity reported that 92% of volunteers agreed that volunteering had helped their mental health.

Giving out gives back to you!

Why not check out the range of volunteering opportunities we can connect you with?

Look up

Nature

Being in green spaces reduces stress, anxiety and depression by lowering cortisol (the stress hormone). Being in nature can help us to put our problems in perspective, without us even realising that’s what’s happening!

Being in nature can also foster a sense of mindfulness, grounding us in the present moment – not rushing ahead – and encouraging reflection.

Not only that – nature can inspire a sense of awe, connection and peace. We feel things we don’t feel when we’re indoors or on our phones.

Faith, religion and spirituality

Regardless of your belief, our campus Chaplaincy team are here for you; whether you have an established faith or want to explore faith and spirituality.

This is what student Bip said about Chaplaincy:

“Chaplaincy has been a great space for me to get out my thoughts ranging from religious struggle to bereavement. It’s a space that allows you to organise your thoughts, problems and whatever you may be dealing with and having someone like the Chaplain listen and provide a fresh perspective on things can go a long way. I recommend it to anyone, whether you’re religious, atheistic or anything in between.”

Research across psychology, sociology and health sciences has found that being religious or engaging in spirituality can be beneficial in a range of ways.

  • Prayer, meditation and rituals provide calm, structure, and coping mechanisms.
  • Religious faith often increases endurance and helps people cope with illness and grief.
  • Belief in a higher person or purpose can bring hope, comfort and a sense of meaning.

Look after yourself

We want you to flourish at uni – to be healthy and happy and grow during your time here.

Make sure you’re making time for yourself in every way possible and reach out if you need a little extra support!

How’s your sleep hygiene?

Author Student Communications | Posted on

No, we don’t mean how many times a month you change your bedding (but you should do this regularly) we’re talking about your sleeping habits.

As outlined by Mind, “there’s a close relationship between sleep and mental health” and “that both living with a mental health problem can affect how well you sleep and poor sleep can have a negative impact on your mental health.”

Studies have shown that problems sleeping, whether that be struggling to fall asleep, stay asleep or interrupted sleep, can increase feelings of worry, loneliness and irritability. It can also lead to lack of concentration, trouble making decisions and impact symptoms of pre-existing mental health problems like depression and anxiety.

So, it’s an important thing to look at and take seriously when trying to stay happy and healthy, especially at university. We’re not saying you need to totally cancel those late nights studying or socialising, but it’s good to be aware of what can impact your sleep and how to get into a good routine.

We’ve pulled together some top tips from Mind so if you want to know more, keep reading!

Establish a routine

Many people find going to bed and/or waking up at the same time each day helps them establish a good pattern of sleep.

Think about what you do before you go to bed

Stress and worry are one of the biggest reasons our sleep might be disturbed. Whether it’s caused by relationships, money or an impending uni deadline, we often find these worries feel bigger and louder when trying to sleep.

Breathing exercises and meditation are great ways to reduce stress, relax before bed and ready your body for sleep.

It’s also worth thinking about what you’ve consumed before you go to bed, as things like sugar, caffeine, alcohol and drugs can seriously affect your slumber. Moving your body in some way throughout the day can also help you fall asleep at night.

Think about your environment

There might be only so much you can change in your student bedroom but temperature, light and noise levels can all affect our sleep. Think ear plugs and eye masks, or maybe a low light and podcast to help you drift off.

If temperature is your problem, investigate what duvet you’re using as it could be making you too hot or cold!

Turn off those screens

There are mountains of research which shows that using screens in the evening can negatively affect your sleep.

The best way round this is to avoid using your phone before going to sleep full stop. But if you can’t try to reduce the brightness and don’t play stimulating games just before you go to bed.

Putting your phone on silent or airplane mode whilst you sleep will also reduce the likelihood of you being disturbed during the night.

What to do if you really can’t sleep?

If you’re struggling to sleep it can feel frustrating, stressful and at some times lonely – we’ve all had that moment at 3am where it feels like we’re the only person awake in the whole world, right?

But try not to force sleep. If you can do something to relax in bed like reading, listening to something soothing, or meditation, give that a go. Sometimes getting out of bed to do something calming until you feel tired can also help.

If you want more tips on how to improve your sleep take a look at this guide from Mind and if you need support with your mental health and wellbeing don’t hesitate to get in touch.

#CleanLiving – Tackling social media wellness trends

Author Student Communications | Posted on

#CleanEating. The baby food diet. Lemon-infused coffee. Tadpole water. Raw milk. 

Chances are that if you know what any of the above means then it’s because you saw someone promoting it on social media as a wellness trend. 

It’s completely normal to want to be fit and healthy. And when you see someone online talking about a new and interesting way that they are #livingtheirbestlife, it’s natural to be curious and consider trying it for yourself. Especially when they throw in some scientific-sounding words which make it seem like it’s backed up by studies and research. 

The reality is that so many of these viral wellness trends are at best, ineffective, and at worst, downright dangerous. You might be eating or drinking things which are actually bad for you, restricting your diet in an extreme way, or misdiagnosing or mistreating genuine conditions which you should really see a doctor about. 

Also, following fake health trends which are not based in scientific fact can leave you feeling anxious, stressed or upset, when you don’t get the results that you’ve been promised. 

You’ve heard of the algorithm right? Well, this is where you need carefully consider what your social media platforms are choosing to show you. The more you view certain content, and the more you search for certain topics, the more you will be fed content based on those key words.  

For example, you start looking for workout ideas and before long your feed starts filling up with diet tips and weight loss advice. 

Protecting yourself from fake news and misinformation is key to keeping yourself safe online. 

We’re not saying you need to come off social media – that would feel impossible, right – just carefully question everything that you see and read on the internet. 

What should you do?

  • Why is the person telling you this information? Do they have a motive? The job of an influencer is self-explanatory – they want to influence you to do something or buy something. Bear that in mind when you listen to what they are saying. 
  • Do your research. Don’t just rely on one source for information. If you see or hear something which sounds interesting, then go away and read up about it elsewhere before making a decision. 
  • Look for professionals. There are legitimate nutritionists, doctors, scientists and fitness experts who use social media to give you authentic advice and guidance. Look at who you are following and check their qualifications and credentials.   
  • If you’re worried your algorithm is showing you too much nonsense then reset your recommendations. You can control what content you are consuming, so be smart with this. 

In summary – question everything.  

Approach this the way you would your studies. You’re here at uni to interrogate information, check sources, and do your own research. Use these skills in your social media activity and this will help you avoid dangerous misinformation. 

Let’s focus on mental health

Author Student Communications | Posted on

We all know how important the topic of mental health is, and it’s particularly important for uni students.

You might be living away from home for the first time. Trying to juggle your academic studies, socialising and earning some money. Experiencing feelings of overwhelm, stress and loneliness.

All of this means that UWE needs to be doing everything we can to ensure your mental health is one of our top priorities.

Which is why we are one of 96 universities across the UK to have joined the Student Minds University Mental Health Charter Programme. It aims to improve mental health support for both students and staff in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Student Minds is the UK’s student mental health charity and the Charter brings together universities committed to making mental health and wellbeing a university-wide priority to share practice and create cultural change.

It means we can work with these other universities to share good practice and make sure we are doing everything we possibly can to improve our approach to supporting your mental health.

You can read more about it in this news article published when we joined the charter programme.

So, what do we need from you? Well, as part of this work we’re asking you to complete an anonymous online survey to evaluate the charter programme and help shape the future direction of this work. The survey is open until the 1st December 2023.

You can read some further FAQs about this survey below – make sure you check them out before you open the survey.

What is this research project about?

This research is funded by Student Minds. We are exploring how organisations participating in the University Mental Health Charter understand and experience the process. We want to capture this data to feedback to Student Minds and to help them better understand how the Charter is implemented and improve it for future use.

Why have I been invited to take part?

You have been invited to take part because you are a student in an UMHC participating university and your experiences and perspectives are valuable to us in researching and learning about the issues described above. Five universities are participating as case studies, and surveys are being sent to students withing these universities

Do I have to take part?

No. It is your decision whether or not to participate in the research project. You have one week to decide.

What will happen if I take part?

You will be invited to complete an online survey via email, sent to you by the UMHC Staff Lead at your university. By clicking on the link in the email, you will be taken to the survey (which should take about 30 minutes to complete) to talk about and reflect on your experiences of your university and your understanding of the services it provides regarding mental health.

How will information/data be collected?

Information will be collected by Online Surveys.

How will my data be used?

Information collected will be examined and analysed by the research team to provide valuable learning about experiences at universities that are signed up to the University Mental Health Charter.

What measures are in place to protect the anonymity of my data?

Data from these surveys will be compiled into data sets and not attributed to a specific person, but rather compiled data from the university (the surveys are being sent to five participating universities). Surveys are sent out by email by the UMHC Staff Lead and the results stored in Online Surveys are anonymised.

How will my data be stored and what measures are in place to protect its security?

The survey data will be downloaded from Online Surveys, encrypted and stored securely on the UCLan system.

Our data protection guidelines comply fully with GDPR. The University processes personal data as part of its research and teaching activities in accordance with the lawful basis of ‘public task’, and in accordance with the University’s purpose of “advancing education, learning and research for the public benefit”. Under UK data protection legislation, the University acts as the Data Controller for personal data collected as part of the University’s research. The University privacy notice for research participants can be found on the attached link: https://www.uclan.ac.uk/data_protection/privacy-notice-research-participants.php

How long will my data be stored for?

Digital data transferred from paper-based materials will be kept securely for 7 years. As the link to the surveys are sent by email from the UMHC Staff Lead at your university we will not be storing your contact details.

Who will have access to my data?

Three researchers from UCLan will have access to the data.

Will my data be archived for use in other research projects in the future?

No, it will not.

Are there any risks in taking part?

There are no perceived disadvantages or risks involved in participation. If you should experience any distress or discomfort (mental, emotional or physical) or disadvantage as part of the research, you should make this known to the researcher(s) immediately. Should any sensitive subjects arise during survey completion, you can opt out of the study at any time (see ‘What will happen if I want to stop taking part?’) We are not collecting health-related data on participants.

Are there any benefits from taking part?

There are no anticipated benefits to you from taking part. Participants may find the survey engaging and interesting and that they will gain a greater understanding of how they understand the Charter. The results of the survey will also be fed back to Student Minds for their annual report and to help them improve the Charter.

What will happen to the results of the study?

Findings from this research will be published in report(s) which will be made available to participants. They may also be published in journals and, if requested, copies of these articles will also be made available to participants. As explained above, data will be anonymised and not personally attributable to you, and you will not be identifiable from the publicly available findings.

What will happen if I want to stop taking part?

You are free to stop participating at any time by simply closing the browser window the survey is open on your device. You do not need to give any explanation for why you wish to withdraw from the study.

After you click submit the data will be added to the database anonymously, and so it will not be possible to withdraw it, as the data relating to you as you will not be personally identifiable.

What if I am unhappy or if there is a problem?

If you are unhappy with anything to do with the evaluation, or if there is a problem, please feel free to let us know by contacting Dr. Alan Farrier (AFarrier@uclan.ac.uk) and we will try to help. If you remain unhappy, or have a complaint which you feel you cannot come to us with, then please contact the Research Governance Unit at OfficerForEthics@uclan.ac.uk.

The University strives to maintain the highest standards of rigour in the processing of your data. However, if you have any concerns about the way in which the University processes your personal data, it is important that you are aware of your right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office by calling 0303 123 1113.

Who can I contact if I have further questions?

Dr. Alan Farrier (AFarrier@uclan.ac.uk)

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