Hector's House

“Happiness consists of getting enough sleep. Just that, nothing more.” — Robert A. Heinlein💚 Sleep is essential to every process in the body, affecting both our physical and mental functioning, therefore, sleep and mental health go hand-in-hand. Good sleep is essential for maintaining our baseline mental health, as one night of sleep deprivation can dramatically affect our mood the next day. Chronic exposure to poor sleep quality has also been linked to other mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. Summer is just around the corner and it can be difficult to get a good night's sleep in the heat so here are some tips: 💚 Keep to your PM routine - hot weather can encourage you to change your habits but try to stick to your normal PM routines as this helps your brain distinguish the day from the night, clear your mind and body of the day's stresses, and fall asleep peacefully. 💚 Shut out sunlight early - close your curtains/blinds in the early evening to prevent sunlight entering your room keeping it cool for when you're ready to go to bed. 💚 Open your windows - if your room is warmer than outside, leave the windows open at night to let in a fresh breeze. Night air tends to get cooler in the early hours. The fresh air can help keep the temperature down and stop your room from feeling stuffy. 💚 Drink a glass of cold water before going to bed - this can help get your body hydrated and cool, and replenish water loss due to sweating. 💚 Sleep like a starfish - stretch out across the bed with your arms and legs wide. It’s a really simple and easy way to keep your temperature down by increasing air circulation around your limbs. • • • • • #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mentalwellness #mentalhealthsupport #mentalhealthmatters #suicideprevention #breakthestigma #endthestigma #stopthestigma #bekind #mindful #mindfulness #wellness #kindness

It's Thank You Thursday! 💚 Today we would like to send a big bundle of gratitude to Nick who recently ran the Brighton half-marathon and raised an amazing £1,261.87 for us and had the following to say: "This year, I launched Maskcast - the first official Masked Singer vodcast and podcast – on behalf of Bandicoot, the makers of The Masked Singer. As part of making our show, I was privileged to meet with all of The Masked Singer’s charity partners and I had a very enjoyable and very insightful conversation with Rob Stringer, founder of Hector’s House, which featured on one of our later episodes. I was so moved by Rob’s story and for his passion for the work that Hector’s House does and the conversation really stayed with me. What I didn’t tell Rob was that I was, at the time, quietly and stubbornly training for the Brighton Half Marathon. It seemed like a good idea in the summer of 2023 when I applied and it seemed like an increasingly worse idea with every training run. I was out on a training run the day after we recorded my interview with Rob and I was suddenly struck by the fact that I could use my pain for a very good cause and do some fundraising for Hector’s House. I was overwhelmed by the support that I received – and the support that I got from the team at Hector’s House – and I was thrilled to fundraise over £1200 for them. I can honestly say that the thought of that money going to such an exceptional cause got me to the start line and got me to the finish line. I had a brilliant, bracing, cold, fun, moving run in Brighton and with every step, I was very proud to be doing it in support of such an exceptional charity. I didn’t win but I remember sitting with a beer with a medal round my neck after I’d finished and I raised a glass to Hector and the whole team at Hector’s House." We cannot express enough how grateful we are for this incredible support from Nick, it means the world! 💚 @nickjohnsy @TheMaskedSingerUK @BandicootTV #Maskcast • • • • #hhthankyou #thankyouthursday #grateful #gratitude #feelinggrateful #appreciative #appreciated #weappreciateyou #thankful #thanksforthesupport #support #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mentalwellness #mentalhealthsupport #mentalhealthmatters #suicideprevention #breakthestigma #endthestigma #stopthestigma #bekind #kindness

You are worthy of support! 💚 We know it takes a huge amount of bravery to reach out for help or support when you are in need and sometimes it can be disheartening when we don't receive the support we are looking for. If you have experienced this, we want to take the time to remind you today that you are still worthy of support! Sometimes it can be difficult to know what kind of support we are looking for and it might take a couple of times of reaching out to discover what our needs are and that's okay! Taking time to figure this out can be frustrating but the end result will be worth it. We know it's scary to reach out but don't stop reaching out, speaking to people or figuring out your needs until you have found it because there are so many different types of support available to you and one size does not fit all. If you are struggling to cope, please don't hesitate to text HECTOR to 85258 today for support.💚 • • • • • #helplines #hhsignpostingseries #signposting #resources #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mentalwellness #mentalhealthsupport #mentalhealthmatters #suicideprevention #breakthestigma #endthestigma #stopthestigma #bekind #kindness #mindful #mindfulness

Can you find a hobby to help you spend more time moving outside?💚 Spending time on an activity that you enjoy can improve your mental health and well-being. Research shows that people with hobbies are less likely to suffer from stress, low mood, and depression. Activities that get you out and about can make you feel happier and more relaxed. Being outside can give us some peace and quiet whilst helping us connect with nature. Research shows that exposing your lungs to fresh air, and the scents of flowers and plants with a couple of deep breaths can help to relieve stress and anxiety. So why not combine these to help you look forward to and enjoy the time you spend outside? But how do you find a hobby that suits you? Your interests may be creative, athletic, academic, or something distinctly personal. You may choose a hobby that you can do alone or as part of a group. Whatever your interests are, there is sure to be a hobby out there for you. What matters is that it is something you find meaningful and enjoyable. Here are some of the Hector's House Team's favourite hobbies to do outside: 💚 Surfing. 💚 Going to walks or hikes. 💚 Horse riding. 💚 Skateboarding. 💚 Walking the dogs (in all weather). For more on moving your body, you can join our #EatMoveLoveMovement by going to our website or following the link below! 💚 https://lnkd.in/ePWs55Bd • • • • • #eatmovelove #eatmovelovemovement #move #moveyourbody #lifestyle #wellness #mindful #mindfulness #mindbodysoul #kindness #bekind #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthsupport #mentalwellness #mentalhealthmatters #suicideprevention #breakthestigma #endthestigma #stopthestigma

Monday reminder: You have survived 100% of bad days so far! It’s completely okay to have some bad days. We all do! Life is filled with highs and lows and bad days come around every so often. Although they can feel really negative and deflating, they can often be a signal to check in with yourself. It is often said that without the lows, we cannot have the highs and this is often true but it doesn't make these "bad days" any easier when we are experiencing them! So what can you do to check in with yourself on bad days? 💚 Journal - write down all your thoughts and feelings. 💚 Gratitude - name 3 things that you are grateful for today. 💚 Self-care - ensure you have your basic self-care needs today (food, water, warmth and rest). 💚 Reach out - strengthen your connections with your loved ones. 💚 Nature - get outside and take some deep breaths. It is also important to know that your feelings are valid when you're having a bad day - people can often feel guilty for feeling negative about something when "some people have it worse" BUT no two situations are comparable. Just because someone else may be going through a difficult time does not mean that what you are going through is any less important or distressing. You are allowed to feel crap about a crap situation. But it is also important to know that every storm passes and the sun will always shine again. If you are struggling to cope, please don't hesitate to text HECTOR to 85258 today for support. 💚 • • • • • #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mentalwellness #mentalhealthsupport #mentalhealthmatters #suicideprevention #breakthestigma #endthestigma #stopthestigma #bekind #mindful #mindfulness #wellness #kindness

Let's talk about our Sphere of Control 💚 During times of uncertainty, it’s normal for us to feel the need to control our surroundings in order to feel safe. This can add to our stresses, as there are a number of external elements that are entirely out of our control. This is where the Sphere of Control comes in as a really handy tool to help us to shift our focus to what IS in our control. As the IB Psych Blog said: "Things are going to happen in life that will stress you out. That is inevitable. It is beyond your control. What is in your control is how you think about these things and how you react to them. Try focusing on what you can do to make things better. Focus on the things in your control. Keep an eye on those things you’re concerned about, but don’t let them consume you." • • • • • #sphereofcontrol #lettinggo #lifestyle #mindset #workplace #workplacestress #workenvironment #healthyworking #healthyworkenvironment #happyworkenvironment #happyemployees #motivation #bekind #mentalhealth #mentalhealthatwork #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters

Today is National Bereaved Parents Day.💚 National Bereaved Parents Day was set up in 2020 by the charity A Child of Mine after they realised that there wasn’t a specific day that honoured bereaved parents from all walks of life. National Bereaved Parents Day 2024 will take place on Wednesday 3rd July to raise awareness for all parents who have lost a child of any age and from any circumstance. This year’s theme is “Love lives on”. A Child of Mine For more information about how you can get involved to help raise awareness, you can follow the link below to the A Child of Mine website: https://lnkd.in/efE3HVW If you are in need of support regarding this topic there are lots of fantastic resources available to you and we have listed some of them below: Child Bereavement UK - https://lnkd.in/evRXAmSi The Good Grief Trust - https://lnkd.in/esatPkcf The Compassionate Friends - https://lnkd.in/eXX-7_uv Remember, you are never alone, if you are struggling to cope, please don't hesitate to text HECTOR to 85258 today for support. 💚 • • • • • #nationalbereavedparentsday2023 #achildofmine #youarenotalone #NBPD23 #acom #berevedparentsday #parentsmentalhealth #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mentalwellness #mentalhealthsupport #mentalhealthmatters #suicideprevention #breakthestigma #endthestigma #stopthestigma #bekind #mindful #mindfulness #wellness #kindness

We are currently in National Picnic Month!💚 National Picnic Month aims to encourage people to take the ideal opportunity to get together over a picnic with advice, tips, recipes and information to make sure you have everything from the food and drink to the location or surroundings. Picnicking is one of the UK’s most enjoyable summer traditions and is a great way of taking advantage of any open spaces in your local area over the warmer months of the year. So we encourage you to get outside with your loved ones this week and enjoy a picnic in an open space - even just your garden! We also want to take this opportunity to remind you to stay hydrated as we have had some lovely warmer weather recently. Drinking enough water each day is crucial for many reasons: 💚 To regulate body temperature. 💚 Delivers nutrients to cells. 💚 Improves sleep quality. 💚 Increases energy. 💚 Improves brain function. 💚 Improves productivity. It is vital to stay hydrated all year round but especially in the warmer summer months as your body will sweat more in hot weather and can cause dehydration and other health problems, but drinking enough water can help to prevent these issues. For more on healthy nutrition, you can join our #EatMoveLoveMovement by going to our website or following the link below!💚 https://lnkd.in/ePWs55Bd • • • • • #eatmovelovemovement #eatmovelove #love #lifestyle #wellness #mindful #mindfulness #mindbodysoul #kindness #bekind #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mentalwellness #mentalhealthsupport #mentalhealthmatters #suicideprevention #breakthestigma #endthestigma #stopthestigma

Join us for Sunday Sanctuary this evening! 💚 Sunday Sanctuary takes place every Sunday evening at 8:30pm and is facilitated by the lovely Katherine who brings us a moment of mindfulness. Meditation is the habitual process of training your mind to focus and redirect your thoughts and can have many benefits on our mental health, including reducing feelings of stress and anxiety as well as improving our self-image and enhancing our self-awareness. Sunday Sanctuary takes place on Zoom and is free of charge, if you would like to join us simply send us a DM or email Sarah at sarah@hectorshourse.org.uk - we look forward to seeing you this evening.💚 • • • • • #hhsundaysanctuary #sundaysanctuary #selfcaresunday #selfcare #selflove #selfworth #selfcarefirst #loveyourself #lifestyle #mindful #mindfulness #momentofmindfulness #relaxation #wellness #mindbodysoul #kindness #bekind #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mentalwellness #mentalhealthsupport #mentalhealthmatters #suicideprevention #breakthestigma #endthestigma #stopthestigma

Focus Friday for loneliness! 💚 Marmalade Trust is an award-winning charity dedicated to raising awareness of loneliness and empowering people to make connections. We all feel lonely at times – it’s a natural human emotion. We're biologically wired for social contact, and loneliness is our signal that we need more. Everyone's experiences of loneliness are different. It's subjective and personal to each of us. There are different types, including emotional, social, transient, situational and chronic and there can be numerous causes that vary from person to person. It is important to remember though, that you are never alone, there is always someone here for you! For more information or for support you can visit the Marmalade Trust website by following the link below: https://lnkd.in/gPwmZy7R If you are struggling to cope, please don't hesitate to text HECTOR to 85258 today for support. 💚 • • • • • #hhsignpostingseries #signposting #resources #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mentalwellness #mentalhealthsupport #mentalhealthmatters #suicideprevention #breakthestigma #endthestigma #stopthestigma #bekind #kindness