Mental health is just like our physical health, it can worsen and improve at different stages of our lives, either because it deteriorates as we get older, or it is impacted because of accidents, injuries, circumstances or other conditions.
Though, unlike our physical health, we don’t often seek the help we need. This is because, despite the growing conversation around mental health, many people still feel like it is a taboo subject. They worry that if they were to open up and be honest about how they’re feeling, they would be judged by others. This is because there is still a stigma attached to mental health issues.
World Mental Health Day aims to break that stigma, as well as the discrimination and lack of support for people experiencing mental health issues and enduring disorders. Being mentally healthy is important for our overall state of wellbeing, so it’s important that we pay attention to it.
What is Wellbeing?
A person’s wellbeing can relate to how they feel and function both personally and socially. It’s a state of being comfortable, healthy or happy, which directly links to their mental health. This is because having positive mental health, or even being mentally happy, is due to positive mental wellbeing rather than the absence of a mental health issue or disorder.
A person with a mental health condition can still have positive mental wellbeing if they get the support they need and do things to improve this state of wellbeing.
If you’re wondering how to improve your health and wellbeing, a way you may not have considered is through distance learning courses. This is because indulging your interests and finding new hobbies is a great way to build your confidence, get you outdoors or get active, all of which can have direct positive effects on mental wellbeing.
Online Courses to Improve Your Health and Wellbeing
If you’re feeling anxious, down, or low because of your mental health, studying may seem like the last thing you need to concern yourself with. However, studying has been shown to positively improve the mental wellbeing of many students.
For a person to be comfortable, healthy and happy, they need to be content with various aspects of their lives. By gaining new skills and knowledge in a course, they can put this to use to better their work or personal lives.
To help, we’ve listed some fun, insightful and beneficial courses you could study with Stonebridge Associated Colleges.
Animal Photography
There are so many health and mood-lifting benefits to being around animals, especially those you can get close to like domestic pets. People who spend time with animals have felt their stress, anxiety and depression ease. By studying a pet or wildlife photography course with Stonebridge, you are not getting exposure to animals, you can start a career working with them that would give you these benefits long term.
Gardening
Many people praise how gardening has improved their lives. There is strong evidence to suggest being in green spaces reduces stress, lifts our mood and increases wellbeing. You can learn how to use your garden as an effective, peaceful place to spend your time by studying gardening courses online. Whether you’re just looking to maintain your garden, completely redesign it or dabble in a bit of moon gardening.
Health and Wellbeing
Sometimes, the best way to improve your mental health and wellbeing is to understand the factors that attribute to its decline in the first place. Our online course in health and wellbeing explores everything from modern lifestyle problems to nutrition, stress management and preventative health measures you can take to boost your wellbeing.
Meditation
Through meditation, we can improve our focus, concentration, self-awareness and self-esteem. It has also proven to reduce levels of stress and anxiety, among other things that are known to improve wellbeing. Through an online meditation course, you can learn the tools and techniques to meditate effectively.
Relaxation Therapy
No matter what we do in life, there will always be situations that challenge us in some way and cause stress. If stress is overwhelming or prolonged it greatly increases the risk of both mental and physical health issues. This is why studying relaxation therapy is incredibly important, as learning how to lower your heart rate, relax your muscles and breathe in ways that calm you down can help soothe you both mentally and emotionally. Avoiding the likelihood of poor mental wellbeing from stress.
Spirituality
It might not be for everyone, but some people find great solace in exploring their spiritual side. If this sounds like something you would like to try, you’ll be pleased to know there are numerous ways spirituality can support mental health and wellbeing. From feeling a higher sense of purpose, to being more at peace and finding further meaning in life, you could benefit from studying spirituality online.
Yoga
Like any form of exercise, yoga gets you active and is directly linked to improving mental health. The peaceful nature of yoga is also proven to be especially beneficial, with evidence linked to improved stress management, mental health, mindfulness, weight loss, better nutrition and quality sleep. If you want to get to grips with yoga practices, an online yoga course can help you get started.
Improve Your Wellbeing with Stonebridge
If you would like to discover new ways to keep your mind occupied, improve your skills and focus your energy on things you enjoy, an online course could be a great option for you. The above course subjects are directly linked to improving mental health and wellbeing, but there are hundreds of others that you could benefit from as well.
You may find that making the leap to retrain for a career in an area you’re passionate about brings you great joy and satisfaction. Or that studying additional courses related to your current career helps to improve your skills which eases the workplace stress you’ve been experiencing.
Alternatively, we have courses on parenting techniques, how to care for the elderly and other lifestyle skills courses that can help ease the strain you’re having in other areas of your life.
Whatever your needs or struggles, distance learning courses can help you gain the skills that help you better manage them. They aren’t a band-aid solution to mental health issues and disorders, but they can certainly help boost your mental wellbeing.
Should you need any support with more pressing mental health needs, speaking to your doctor and the available support networks is the best thing you can do. They can listen to how you are feeling and help you understand why, then put you on a path to getting you the long term support you need.
Improve Your Wellbeing Online
If the thought of exploring your hobbies, new interests and gaining new skills sounds like what you need, Stonebridge Associated Colleges can help you find the one to fit your needs.
Find out more by talking with our Course Executives today, call them on 0121 392 8288, contact them online or browse our entire range of courses below!
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