Christ Church C of E Primary School
Emotional Health & Mental Wellbeing
At Christ Church Primary School we believe that good social, emotional and mental wellbeing can create the foundations for healthy behaviours and educational attainment. This is embedded in all aspects of our wide, varied and inclusive curriculum. We use Oldham's whole school approach, 'Supporting Young Minds Through Tough Times' to review and plan our practice and work closely with families, outside agencies and the children themselves to promote effective emotional health and mental wellbeing awareness, guidance, support and or intervention.
Key people in school
Mental Health & Wellbeing Lead: Mrs Holroyd (Deputy Head)
.
'Sleep'
If you have difficulty falling asleep, a regular bedtime routine will help you wind down and prepare for bed. NHS England offers the following advice.
Few people manage to stick to strict bedtime routines. This is not much of a problem for most people, but for people with insomnia, irregular sleeping hours are unhelpful.
Your routine depends on what works for you, but the most important thing is working out a routine and sticking to it.
Sleep at regular times
First of all, keep regular sleeping hours. This programmes the brain and internal body clock to get used to a set routine.
Most adults need between 6 and 9 hours of sleep every night. By working out what time you need to wake up, you can set a regular bedtime schedule.
It is also important to try and wake up at the same time every day. While it may seem like a good idea to try to catch up on sleep after a bad night, doing so on a regular basis can also disrupt your sleep routine.
Make sure you wind down
Winding down is a critical stage in preparing for bed. There are lots of ways to relax:
- a warm bath (not hot) will help your body reach a temperature that's ideal for rest
- writing "to do" lists for the next day can organise your thoughts and clear your mind of any distractions
- relaxation exercises, such as light yoga stretches, help to relax the muscles. Do not exercise vigorously, as it will have the opposite effect
- relaxation CDs work by using a carefully narrated script, gentle hypnotic music and sound effects to relax you
- reading a book or listening to the radio relaxes the mind by distracting it
- there are a number of apps designed to help with sleep. See the NHS Apps Library
- avoid using smartphones, tablets or other electronic devices for an hour or so before you go to bed as the light from the screen on these devices may have a negative effect on sleep
More advice can be found at https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/sleep-and-tiredness/how-to-get-to-sleep/
Please see some links below which you may find useful:
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/sleep-and-tiredness/healthy-sleep-tips-for-children/
World Mental Health Awareness
In school we celebrated World Mental Health Day. We discussed what mental health is and shared ideas about how we can help our bodies to feel calm.
