There’s nothing quite like curling up somewhere cosy – perhaps with a snug blanket and hot drink – to get lost in a good book. For many people, reading for pleasure is an evening activity and a way of unwinding and calming the mind after the busyness of the day. Perhaps you like to settle …
Imagine that you’re having a relaxing day off. With oodles of free time, you stroll to your favourite café to treat yourself to something delicious. Suddenly, your calm turns to discomfort, as the person behind you in line is standing too close. And each time you edge away, they edge closer. Most people will have …
Is there someone you always talk to at the end of a gym class, a neighbour you enjoy nattering with when you bump into each other on the street, or a colleague you chat to while waiting for the kettle to boil in the staff kitchen? Perhaps that someone makes you smile, and you feel …
Over the past decade, men’s mental health has gone from hot topic to serious issue of worldwide concern. But despite the greater awareness and a concerted push for more resources, the statistics remain shocking. Mental health problems affect almost everyone in one way or another. According to the NHS, one in four British adults experiences …
Picture the scene. You’ve the luxury of some spare time and you love reading. You long to dive into a book, featuring characters you care about and an absorbing plot. It’s why you pick up that novel – only to put it down a few hours later, nowhere near finishing. Not only that, when you …
Hands up who loves nettles. These hardy plants, which grow profusely in the wild, are far from the most favoured species. They’ve caused many a child’s tears and ruined country walks, not to mention being unpopular with gardeners. Yet there are numerous benefits hidden within their jagged leaves and prickly stems. Before modern medicine, nature’s …
You climb off the train onto a dark station platform. It’s lit by a few wonky bulbs, with a broken sign announcing your destination. It’s the end of the line, and there are no more options left. Welcome, my friend, to the last resort. This probably isn’t a place you wanted to end up. The …
Creative-writing classes might suggest to the mind a room of chairs and desks equipped with paper and pens or screens and notebooks. In other words, a set environment for a sedentary activity. But this doesn’t have to be the case. In fact, replacing a classroom session with an excursion into the open air can offer …
For weeks, the buds are small green globes on their spear-like stalks, as stubbornly sealed as tightly clenched fists. Then, one day, a flash of cerise catches your eye as you walk up the path – the hollyhocks are out and summer is finally in bloom. The year is full of subtle special occasions like …
Burnout. It’s a familiar term – and one that’s often bandied about when a person is tired. Yet there’s a difference between the two. Both are important signals that rest is needed, but burnout, which is defined by the National Health Service as a state of physical, mental and emotional exhaustion caused by prolonged stress, …
