Student Wellbeing over Christmas

---

Look after yourself this Christmas

The winter break is often considered as a time of celebration, a time to switch off, relax and enjoy catching up with friends and family, after all it’s Christmas…

Unfortunately, this isn’t the case for everyone. In fact, it can be a time that many find challenging, when a time that’s portrayed as the most wonderful time of the year is consumed by worries of upcoming exams, assignments, family, finances, travelling and more.

Recognising that the festive period can impact everyone in different ways, we’ve put together our top 6 tips to help make sure you take the best care of your wellbeing this Christmas.

-

Talk about how you’re feeling

It can be a challenge for anyone to admit if they’re struggling, never mind at a time when you’re meant to be full of festive cheer while donning your best Christmas jumper.

If you are feeling a little low, that’s ok. You don’t have to try and justify how you’re feeling, but talking honestly to someone about what’s troubling you can help ease the burden and is often the first step to feeling better. It can help you feel supported and less alone.

Remember, a problem shared is a problem halved, so whether it’s someone you trust, such as a close friend, family member, or uni mate, it’s important to share how you’re feeling, rather than bottling it up trying to cope by yourself. You never know, they may even feel the same.

Or, if you’d rather speak to someone you’re not close to, you could speak to your GP, check the support services available via your university or accommodation provider, or use confidential helplines such as Student Space from Student Minds, Mind or Samaritans.

-

Actually take a break and switch off

We know switching off and taking a break isn’t always easy. Sometimes it’s not even practical, particularly with January exams and assignment deadlines waiting for you in the new year.

It can feel overwhelming, but shutting yourself off to crack on with revision and uni work all holiday, while saying no to catching up with friends or family isn’t going to help.

In fact, this could have the opposite effect. Not only can this make you feel alone, it can also cause you to feel burnt out as well.

Give your brain a rest. Take it from us, you don’t need to focus on your uni work all Christmas, and you shouldn’t put that level of pressure on yourself thinking that you do.

Switching off can really help your mental health and wellbeing, so make a schedule of when you’re going to focus on uni work, with plenty of days off to recharge, and stick to it.  

-

Make a bit of “me time”

We know what it’s like, the festive period can be a demanding one. Whether it’s the uni work, the family reunions, the catch ups, the pantomimes, the Christmas markets…

Whatever you’ve got going on it’s easy to get swept up in it all and forget about yourself.

Don’t feel the pressure to say yes to everything and try to cram too much in to please everyone. If you do, your good intentions could end up taking its toll, not just mentally but financially too.

It’s not only healthy to politely say no every now and again, it’s essential for your mental health and wellbeing to give yourself some much needed “me time”, where you can take time out to relax and take care of YOU.

Whether it’s a good old fashioned duvet day binge watching that series you never got round to watching, a pamper session, a gaming session, a good book, cooking or baking or even just going for a walk…

Whatever it is, if you’re going to politely decline an invite and switch off from the uni work, make sure you do it doing something you enjoy.

-

Stay active

We all know what it’s like at Christmas, the routine’s out of the window, the days are shorter, it’s nice and warm inside, cold outside and there’s normally lots of food and drink around – we get it, it’s not the most motivational time of the year to jump out of bed and go for a 5k run.

It’s easy to be less active but if you’re not feeling the Christmas spirit either, it could lessen your mood further. Staying active isn’t just positive for our mental wellbeing but also our physical one too.

Whether you get wrapped up and go for a winter walk, manage to drag yourself off the sofa for a jog, swim or gym, any exercise you do will help give you that boost of endorphins to lift your self-esteem, while also increasing serotonin and dopamine levels that can help with motivation and mood.

If you manage to get outside in the daylight as well, even better, as that will help top up those serotonin levels further, as well as give you a dose of vitamin D.

Exercising regularly can do wonders and a 30 minute midday winter walk is a great place to start. It won’t hit your wallet and you can make it part of your daily routine, you could even invite your trusted friend of family member, or just use it for an extra bit of “me time”.

-

Don’t overindulge

One thing we all know Christmas for beyond the catch-ups, presents and reindeer, is the food and drink. Let’s face it, the holiday practically revolves around it.

At times this can become a little overwhelming, the sheer access and peer pressure for that extra mince pie, a glass of fizz, or just one more in the pub… It can all feel a bit much.

You’re not alone, we can all feel the impact and the pressure to “indulge”. Just remember that mood and diet go hand in hand. We also know that alcohol is a depressant that can have various effects on our mental and physical health, in the short and long term.

So, what do you do, particularly if you’re not in a good place already? You eat and drink in moderation.

Yes, we know this sounds boring or like the millions of lectures you’ve heard before, but just remember, a healthy and balanced diet will help your mood, while an unhealthy one won’t, and any positive affects you feel because of alcohol will only be a temporary.

Overindulging is not going to help improve mental health or wellbeing, and nobody regrets not having that extra mince pie, or passing on that glass of fizz. So, know your limits, enjoy the benefits of spending time on positive relationships, but take care of yourself too.

If you’re worried about your alcohol consumption or the consumptions of somebody else, visit drinkaware.co.uk.

-

Limit your social media scrolling  

Everyone does it, whenever we have a minute, we all love to scroll through reels of our favourite influencers, celebrities, friends and family.

At Christmas this is normally littered with tree decorating, elf on the shelf antics, gatherings, presents, food prep, drinks, meals and more.

This can be particularly tempting on an evening, scrolling through rather than trying to get some sleep.

You may find some of the images and videos uplifting and inspiring but be careful. By spending time on social media, you’re removing yourself from the present and instead, you’re indulging in how everyone else is enjoying themselves, rather than focusing on your own enjoyment.

Eventually you may find yourself feeling low, while the blue light of your phone screen impacts and disrupts your sleep.

Now, we’re not suggesting that you just turn it off and go cold turkey, but if you can limit the amount of time you spend on it, it will certainly help improve your mental wellbeing.

Studies have shown that reducing your daily time on social media to just 30 mins can significantly reduce levels of anxiety, depression, loneliness, sleep issues and FOMO.

So, be mindful of how much time you’re spending online and how much time you’re spending with the people around you, having some “me time”, doing something that you enjoy or catching up with friends this Christmas.

-

Free 24/7 wellbeing support with UniHomes

As the UK’s go-to website for all-inclusive student accommodation, at UniHomes we recognise just how complicated life at uni can be. It’s a very exciting time, but it can be a very challenging one too, not just finding somewhere to live or sorting your utility bills, but making new friends, budgeting, exam stress and more.

We’re committed to opening the doors to stress-free student living, which is why we’ve partnered with Howden Insurance (formerly Endsleigh), to provide all our customers with free 24/7 access to mental, financial and physical wellbeing support via Howden for Students, should ever, and whenever they need it. We provide our customers with a unique login, so they can exclusively access the support they need.

Whether you find your perfect university home from home with bills-included on our website, or add our student utilities package to a property you found elsewhere, we want you to feel supported and have the best possible experience, and that includes taking care of your mental health and wellbeing, not just at Christmas but all year too.

We hope you've found this blog helpful. Please look after yourself this winter break and remember, you’re not alone. Merry Christmas.