Healthy Bodies
At LUU your health and wellbeing is very important to us. We encourage all our staff to look after themselves inside and outside of work. We have a vested interest in your health because it means healthier, happier staff at work.
Staying healthy and in shape doesn’t have to mean a dramatic overhaul of your life or spending hours on end on the treadmill. One of the key factors to your health and well-being is your lifestyle. The term lifestyle encompasses a variety of areas, but includes not only the way you eat and the exercise you do, but also the type of work you do and your pace of life. There are small things you can do inside of work to keep healthy too.
Take a lunch break!
Did you know that the average UK employee only takes a 27-minute lunch break? Not having a break from your desk is counter productive. It can lead to fatigue, eye strain, back problems and even putting on weight (remember you’re likely to eat more when you’re tired!)
Eat your sandwiches in a staff room, go to the Old Bar for lunch with a friend or best of all go for a walk! Studies show that getting sunlight, fresh air and some exercise is proven to increase your afternoon performance because it improves your brain function. This is especially important in winter months, when many of us arrive and leave work in the dark.
Join a gym
The University of Leeds mega new fitness and pool complex opens in Spring 2010. The complex will include a 200 station fitness suite, one of the largest at any UK university. As an LUU member of staff, you are entitled to use the complex. You can either pay per visit or you can pay for a year membership and agree to have deductions taken directly from your salary each month to help you spread the cost. So why not take advantage of having this facility so close to your workplace? Some keener members of LUU staff even squeeze in a visit on their lunch break! For info on how to join, visit the University’s Sport and Physical Activity website.
If the gym isn’t your bag, check out the British Heart Foundation’s useful guide on other ways to Get Active (pdf).
Try something new
We all tend to repeat the things we like doing. But try adding a little variety to your exercise pattern as this will help you achieve better results. How about trying something you’ve never done before? Tai Chi, Dodgeball and Pilates are just some of the events on offer that you can get involved in through the University’s fitness and sports facilities and specifically during LUU’s Wellbeing Week at the beginning of every year.
Kick the Habit – Quit Smoking
You don’t need us to tell you that smoking is bad for you. But what you may need is help and support whilst you’re trying to give up.
We’d recommend using the NHS website or free-phone helpline. They offer a comprehensive range of services including medication options and lots of practical tips and advice. Visit their website www.gosmokefree.co.uk, or if you prefer to talk you can call the NHS Smoking Helpline free on 0800 022 4 332.
A real-life LUU quitter
If you need inspiring to quit, Angela Massey’s story is a great place to start. Angela works in Essentials and used to smoke between 20-40 cigarettes a day for 35 years. She had attempted to quit before and had tried patches and nicotine gum, but to no great success. She was spurred on to quit for good in 2007 when her Aunt died from cancer.
Angela went to see her GP who prescribed her with some pills called Champix. The Doc said that the pills would make her want to stop, but would also involve some willpower! Angela was due to go on holiday to Spain, and knew she wouldn’t be able to smoke on the flight so she set this as her first smoke-free day. She returned from her two week holiday a smoke-free woman!
Angela says she feels so much better now; she doesn’t get out of breath so easily, can taste her food and has a sense of smell again.
Angela also found the NHS smoke clinics really supportive after she quit; an advisor still calls her from time to time which helps to keep her on track.
Angela is a great ambassador for quitting smoking and is happy to support any fellow LUU quitters. She can always be found in Essentials so please pop in and ask her all about it.
Drink in moderation
A small amount of alcohol is usually fine, but too much can be harmful. The recommended guide is:
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Men = 21 units of alcohol per week (no more than four units in any one day).
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Women = 14 units of alcohol per week (no more than three units in any one day).
One unit is about half a pint of normal strength beer, two thirds of a small glass of wine, or one small pub measure of spirits.
The Help and Advice section of LUU’s website has loads of useful information about the benefits of drinking in moderation (not just for students!) More information and advice can be found on ur website at www.leedsuniversityunion.org.uk/helpandadvice.
Sleep Well
In order to feel energized and refreshed for the next day, a typical adult needs between seven and nine hours of sleep. It is important that you sleep on a good bed though many underestimate the importance of one of good quality. A number of indicators for a new bed include symptoms such as remaining sleepy in the morning, waking up through the night due to the creaking of your bed or regularly waking with aches and pains.