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Well-being and Mental Health
Key Events
Dry January
1st of January - 30th of January
Dry January is a great way to start the New Year (especially after the festivities over the holiday period). Encouraging people within your team to go dry in January can be a really positive way to increase overall well-being. It can help increase focus, reduce stress, increase our physical health and increase energy.
A really great tip is to create a goal for the end of the month that people can look forward to.
We have also seen success with people saving the money they spend on alcohol and investing in something at the end of the month.
Blue Monday
16th of January
Blue Monday is considered the day when people can feel their lowest. The holiday season is over, the nights are cold and dark, and summer seems far away.
This is a great time to talk about the importance of mental health, not only in the workplace, but also at home.
You can spend the day coming up with positive and sustainable habits that promote a healthy mindset.
Race Against Dementia
21st of January
Race Against Dementia is a day dedicated to raising funds for Dementia.
1-in-3 people born today will die of dementia so it’s an incredibly important day to get behind.
Way’s your team can get involved:
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3k walk, run, or scoot
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3 hours of reading
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3 person challenge (board games, races, etc)
Get people to donate a minimum of £3 to the charity.
More information here:
https://www.awarenessdays.com/awareness-days-calendar/race-against-dementia-day-2023/
Cervical Cancer Prevention Week
23rd of January - 29th of January
75% of cervical cancer patients (5,000 people) can be prevented by having regular smear tests.
This week is all about bringing awareness to cervical cancer and the ways people can prevent it.
Share information and make an uncomfortable conversation more comfortable to have.
A really simple way is to send out important information related to cervical cancer.
For more information:
https://www.jostrust.org.uk/get-involved/campaign/cervical-cancer-prevention-week#:~:text=23rd%20%2D%2029th%20January%202023
Time To Talk Day
2nd of February
This day is all about encouraging people to have conversations about mental health with family, friends and colleagues. Creating space to talk about your mental health is important.
You can discuss the importance of talking about mental health and how mental health can impact people differently.
For more information:
https://www.mind.org.uk/get-involved/time-to-talk-day-2023/#:~:text=The%20next%20Time%20to%20Talk,on%20Thursday%202%20February%202023
World Cancer Day
4th of February
This day is all about raising world wide awareness, increasing education and driving action to save millions of lives from preventable cancers.
1-in-2 people will be affected by cancer in their lives so bringing awareness, education and action to this space is important.
As a company, you can set up a 5km Challenge.
This can include:
Walking
Running
Cycling
Swimming
Children's Mental Health Week
6th of February - 13th of February
Mental health can impact us at any age. This week is all about bringing awareness to the importance of Children's Mental Health.
This year's theme is “Let’s Connect” which is designed to drive connection within communities, families and organisations.
This is also a great week to provide awareness, support and education to parents who can support their children.
For more information:
Eating Disorders Awareness Week
27th of February - 6th of March
Around 1.25 million people suffer from eating disorders in the UK. A lot of the time, people suffer alone.
This week is all about raising awareness, education, and supporting people and their families impacted by eating disorders.
Spend this week educating and raising awareness of eating disorders.
For more information:
https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/support-our-work/fundraise-for-beat/eating-disorders-awareness-week-2023/
Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
1st of March - 31st of March
March is when we shine a spotlight on ovarian cancer to raise awareness and funds for early diagnosis, research and support.
Two-thirds of people who are diagnosed with ovarian cancer are diagnosed too late.
Spend some time this month talking about and educating people about the symptoms of ovarian cancer.
For more information:
National No Smoking Day
9th of March
This day is all about helping smokers quit smoking.
We have known for many decades the impact that smoking can have on our overall health. No matter how long people have smoked, it’s still beneficial to quit.
For more information:
https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/risk-factors/smoking
Nutrition and Hydration Week
13th of March - 20th of March
This week is about shining a light on the importance of good nutrition and hydration. With 3 million people suffering from malnutrition in the UK, bringing awareness to this topic is hugely important.
Raising awareness of proper nutrition and hydration can significantly increase overall well-being.
This week, spend time discussing different ways to increase healthy habits when it comes to eating healthy and staying hydrated.
World Sleep Day
17th of March
Sleep is an important pillar of health. 1-in-5 people in the UK don't get adequate sleep, highlighting the importance of raising awareness.
Sleep is important not only for our physical health, but also for our mental and emotional health.
Spend this day discussing the importance of sleep and looking at healthy ways to increase healthy sleep habits.
International Day of Happiness
20th of March
With the world facing many challenges, our overall well-being has never been more important.
Happiness is a key element when we are looking at our well-being.
Spend today discussing the importance of happiness in everyday life and how you can support yourself as well as others around the globe.
For more information:
Stress Awareness Month
1st to 30th of April
Stress has a profoundly negative impact on our physical, mental and emotional health.
With more and more people struggling to manage stress, it has never been more important to raise awareness surrounding the effects of stress.
This month is all about raising awareness, educating and finding solutions on how to manage stress.
Spend this month looking at how stress impacts our well-being, how people can manage stress better, and how we can support others who might not be coping with stress.
Reach out for talks, webinars or workshops.
Or for more information:
https://hr.nih.gov/working-nih/civil/national-stress-awareness-month#:~:text=April%20is%20National%20Stress%20Awareness,or%20emotional%20strain%20or%20tension
World Health Day
7th of April
This day was created to celebrate the World Health Organisation.
It's a day to raise awareness for health for all people.
Every year the theme is different.
This year's theme is shining a light on nurses and midwives and how they’ve revolutionized the healthcare industry.
For more information:
https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-health-day
MS Awareness Week
25th of April - 1st of May
130,000 people in the UK have been diagnosed with MS and around 7,000 people are newly diagnosed every year.
The rate of this disease is increasing.
Today is all about raising awareness for this unpredictable illness.
For more information:
https://www.mssociety.org.uk/get-involved/ms-awareness-week
On Your Feet, Britain
26th of April
This is all about getting desk-bound employees to get moving.
Exercise is an important part of our overall well-being. Inactivity negatively impacts our physical and mental health, so there is no better time to get your employees, colleagues or even bosses moving.
You don’t have to do anything drastic, simply getting people moving, whether that's with:
A walk, jog or run
A fitness class
A swim
A lunchtime activity
Anything that gets people on their feet.
For more information:
https://onyourfeetday.com/
National Walking Month
1st to 31st of May
This month is about bringing awareness to the importance of getting moving for our health.
Spend this month discussing what the team can do to increase their steps.
This can be:
A steps challenge
Parking the car further away to get additional exercise in
A walking challenge
The importance of this month is making sure you’re meeting people where they are at and to encourage more movement.
For more information:
https://www.livingstreets.org.uk/get-involved/campaign-with-us/national-walking-month
Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week
2nd of May - 8th of May
Maternal Mental Health is an incredibly important topic to discuss.
This week is all about raising awareness, educating and supporting people who have mental health during and after pregnancy.
20% of women can suffer from poor mental health during and after pregnancy and can feel uncomfortable reaching out due to the stigma.
This year's theme is “Journeys to Recovery”.
For more information:
https://maternalmentalhealthalliance.org/about/
Women's Health Week
14th of May - 20th of May
This week is all about raising awareness, educating and supporting women to take manageable steps for their physical and mental health.
For more information:
Mental Health Awareness Week
15th of May - 21st of May
More than 15 million people in the UK suffer from mental health issues. That's 30% of the population.
A lot of those people suffer in silence.
This week is all about bringing awareness, education and how to drive meaningful action when it comes to mental health.
This year's theme is “Anxiety”.
With the stress that many people have faced over the past few years, it’s not surprising that people are suffering more and more from anxiety.
This is a great week to discuss the importance of managing anxiety and how to support people that are facing it.
For more information:
Reach out to book in a talk, webinar or workshop.
World Meditation Day
21st of May
Today is all about bringing awareness to the benefits of meditation.
Looking at how you can incorporate mindfulness into your everyday life can be hugely beneficial for your overall well-being.
Men’s Health Week
12th of June - 19th of June
This week highlights the preventable health issues that many men can face.
With physical and mental health at the forefront, it’s important to bring awareness to those areas.
Men are three times more likely to die from suicide, with 40-49-year-olds most at risk.
Men are also more likely to suffer from heart and circulatory diseases than women.
Spend this week discussing healthy habits that men can undertake that will support their overall well-being.
For more information:
https://menshealthmonth.org/week
Loneliness Awareness Week
12th of June - 19th of June
We can all feel lonely sometimes, it’s a normal human emotion.
However, loneliness is becoming an increasingly important issue for people's mental health.
This day is all about bringing awareness to communities, families and friends about feeling comfortable talking about loneliness.
This week, talk about how people can feel more connected.
For more information:
https://www.marmaladetrust.org/law2022
Alcohol Awareness Week
3rd of July - 9th of July
This week is all about bringing awareness and campaigning for change.
Alcohol can impact many different areas of life: mental health, physical health, relationships, work and our family unit.
This week provides us all with a great opportunity to talk about alcohol and our physical and mental well-being in the summer months.
For more information:
https://alcoholchange.org.uk/get-involved/campaigns/alcohol-awareness-week-1/about-alcohol-awareness-week#:~:text=Alcohol%20Awareness%20Week%20is%20a,from%203%2D9%20July%202023
Talk To Us
24th of July
This is a day created by the Samaritans to raise awareness and campaign to let people know that they are there to talk to 24/7.
Today would be a great day to simply share the amazing work that the Samaritans do and share their resources.
For more information:
https://www.samaritans.org/support-us/campaign/talk-us/
National Schizophrenia Awareness Day
25th of July
1-in-100 people will experience Schizophrenia.
That’s why spending time bringing awareness to the hundreds of thousands of people who are living with Schizophrenia every day in the UK is important.
For more information:
https://www.rethink.org/get-involved/awareness-days-and-events/national-schizophrenia-awareness-day/
Cycle To Work Day
4th of August
This is a day that is highlighting the need for people to get physically active and a simple way to do that is by cycling to work!
Not everyone will be able to cycle to work but think about hosting a cycle day where people can get together and go for a cycle and enjoy physical exercise outside.
For more information:
https://www.cyclescheme.co.uk/cycletoworkday
World Alzheimer's Month
1st of September - 30th of September
1-in-3 people in the UK will develop dementia.
Today is all about raising awareness, educating and demystifying dementia.
Many people within the workplace may also have a loved one with the disease so being educated on dementia and Alzheimer’s is crucial.
For more information:
https://www.alzint.org/get-involved/world-alzheimers-month/
World Suicide Prevention Day
10th of September
This is a day focused on educating people about the realities concerning suicide and how organisations, the government, the public and communities can help reduce the risk of people taking their own life.
There has been a drastic increase in the number of people dying from suicide, so this day is a really important one.
Spend time discussing the realities and what you can do to support preventing suicide.
For more information:
https://www.samaritans.org/support-us/campaign/world-suicide-prevention-day/
International Happiness At Work Week
18th - 24th of September
Everybody wants to be happy. Especially at work. Happier people at work will mean happier people at home. This will also increase the well-being of every individual as a whole.
This day is when organisations can look at the things they can actively be doing to ensure people are happy within the workplace.
For more information:
https://internationalweekofhappinessatwork.com/
World Heart Day
29th of September
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death so today is incredibly important to bring awareness to what we can do to support heart health.
Today is all about bringing awareness and education on what healthy habits people can do to ensure they have a healthy heart and to prevent CVD (including stroke and heart disease).
Spend today discussing habits people can adopt to increase their heart health.
For more information:
https://world-heart-federation.org/world-heart-day/
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
1st of October - 31st of October
Around 55,000 women and 370 men are diagnosed with breast cancer every year in the UK.
This month we show support to all the people who have been affected by breast cancer.
This can be through raising awareness, campaigning or fundraising.
For more information:
https://breastcancernow.org/get-involved/breast-cancer-awareness-month
Go Sober For October
1st of October - 31st of October
Every year the Macmillian runs the Go Sober For October campaign to inspire people to go sober for the whole month of October in order to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.
Not only is it a great way to raise funds, but it’s also a great way to kickstart your health after the Summer months.
For more information:
https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/advice/how-to-reduce-your-drinking/go-sober-for-october
National Work-Life Week
2nd of October - 6th of October
This campaign is all about highlighting the importance of flexible and family-friendly working environments.
We’ve seen a huge push for work-life balance in recent years, so this week is looking at different areas where people can incorporate flexible working.
For more information: https://workingfamilies.org.uk/nationalworklifeweek/#:~:text=National%20Work%20Life%20Week%202023,please%20sign%20up%20for%20updates
World Mental Health Day
10th of October
Mental health is seen in our lives, workplaces, families and communities, affecting everyone.
This day is looking at all the ways we can support positive mental health and prevent mental ill-health.
Spend this day educating and raising awareness of mental health.
For more information:
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-work/public-engagement/world-mental-health-day
National Stress Awareness Day
2nd of November
We can all experience stress. It’s something that most people understand.
However, becoming overwhelmed by stress can lead to mental health issues. It can also directly impact our physical health.
Stress is considered the number one killer and we need to find a way to manage it.
New studies have suggested that 74% of us have felt a level of stress that we’re unable to cope with.
Stress is increasingly becoming a big problem, especially with the rise of burnout.
Talking about the impact that stress has on our well-being and looking for ways to cope is a great exercise for today.
For more information:
https://www.rethink.org/get-involved/awareness-days-and-events/stress-awareness-day/
Reach out to book in a talk, webinar or workshop.
World Kindness Day
13th of November
Kindness is essential for people. Today is all about reflecting on how being kind can truly unify us.
Even small acts of kindness can make a huge difference in someone's life.
For more information: https://www.kindnessuk.com/world_kindness_day_kindness_day_uk.php
International Men's Day
19th of November
Today is all about promoting positive role models and bringing awareness to men’s well-being.
This year's theme is “Raise Awareness For Male Suicide”.
Men are three times more likely to die from suicide and men between the ages of 40-49 are most at risk.
It’s imperative that we spend time talking about men’s well-being, including physical and mental health.
For more information:
https://internationalmensday.com/
World AIDS Day
1st of December
This day gives people an opportunity for people around the world to unite and fight against HIV, show support to people with HIV and to remember that people have lost their lives to HIV/AIDS.
Currently, there are 105,000 people living with HIV in the UK.
For more information:
https://www.worldaidsday.org/about/
National Grief Awareness Week
2nd of December - 8th of December
Grief can be a delicate emotion that many people will experience.
This week is all about raising awareness for all aspects of grief.
This week is also there to offer support to people who are experiencing grief to ensure they can access immediate support.
Let’s normalise the conversations around grief.
For more information:
https://www.awarenessdays.com/awareness-days-calendar/national-grief-awareness-week-2023/#:~:text=December%202%2C%202023%20%2D%20December%208,loss%20on%20a%20national%20scale