More than half of employed men in Suffolk are at risk of poor mental health
This is according to research conducted by Suffolk Mind
More than half of men in Suffolk are failing to meet their needs which could be having a negative effect on mental health. This is according to Suffolk Mind.
The charity recommends everyone meets 12 physical and emotional needs to support well-being, including sleep, movement and privacy.
Out of almost 1,400 employed respondents, 48% stated they were not meeting their need for community well, which was the least well-met need of the survey.
According to the data, the working situation was the main barrier to people meeting their need for community.
The CEO of Suffolk Mind Jon Neall told us finding a community can help with people's mental health.
"The main driver of (stress) is the need for a community... What that means is that they don't feel part of something bigger than themselves.
"We're tribal animals as human beings, we all need to feel part of a community or part of a tribe.
Other things to help with stress
Jon explained how stress can present itself in different people, for example, some people may get headaches, muscle pain, and irritability. Stress may also present itself in behaviours, such as someone picking their nails.
He went on to say how sleep is an important factor when dealing with stress but it can also signify if someone is stressed if they're not sleeping well.
"Our survey has shown that about 60 odd percent of the population do not feel refreshed after sleep, so they don't feel they're getting a good night's sleep... sleep is often one of the first signs of stress.
"And one of the first signs of mental ill health. But it's also a straightforward thing to try and fix. It doesn't mean it's an easy thing, but it is straightforward.
"Cutting down on caffeine for example is an obvious one. But also having a routine for going to bed. So go to bed at around the same time every night and try to get up at the same time the next morning."
He told us our beds should be a place of relaxation and to avoid doing activities, such as reading or work whilst in bed.
"Your brain starts to associate being in bed with being asleep and you're more likely to get off to sleep.
"Doing relaxation exercises before you go to sleep like 7-11 breathing while muscle tension relaxation for example."
Jon is also encouraging people who work from home to go into the office a few times a week so they are able to have more human interaction and re-establish that sense of community.
More resources are available on the Suffolk Mind website, including a survey that can help to identify which needs are not being met. It then provides resources to help with those.