Studies show that people with learning differences are statically more inclined to experience a mental health issue that those without these challenges.
Speaking from personal experience, if self care is neglected, it can cause a great deal of confusion.
Some top tips to manging wellbeing:
- Think Positively – often easier said than done however, taking enjoyment from little things in life will help make this process easier. A useful saying that might help is; ‘Everything is happening for me, not to me’- Tony Robbins
- Laugh – laughing is seen still as one of the best medicines and its free. Our bodies change from being in a stressed state to a more relaxed state instantly through laughing.
- Exercise – I believe that movement is at the core of learning. Exercise is essential to not only keep the body fit and healthy but also the mind. This can vary from high intensity exercise to yoga and Pilates, being more stretching based exercise.I would recommend consulting with your GP and/or fitness professional prior to undertaking any new exercises.
- Sleep – often the value of sleeping is underestimated as people believe that they no longer have enough time to maintain a consistent sleep pattern. However, sleep is essential for the body to repair. The required amount of sleep varies depending upon age and activity/ occupation, however a general rule, if your tired when you wake up, then you didn’t have enough sleep.
- Work hard vs Work Smart – this concept is regularly something students with learning difficulties face. Often working hard isn’t an efficient use of somebodies time however, if they were to ‘work smart’ they might reach their goal a lot quicker.There are a lot of planning and organising tools to help with working smarter however, I would mainly suggest mind mapping to help maximise time.
- Keep things simple – education would be a lot easier if things were kept simple, however, the student can keep concepts simple by using software or availing of additional supports to help understand material more clearly.
- Eat healthy – ‘you are what you eat’ is still an important factor thus effecting your memory and concentration. Linking in a variety of sources from each food group is very important.I would recommend consulting with your GP and/or a nutritionist if you have concerns around diet.
- Worry less – worrying can lead to a series of health related problems such as heart attacks and high blood pressure. Worrying clouds a person judgment thus preventing them from making accurate decisions. Mindfulness and yoga are often used to help alleviate stress levels.I would recommend consulting with your GP if you had any health related concerns.
