Brindleyplace, Birmingham

Men and women participate in activities to raise awareness about men’s health issues. This month-long event promotes physical and mental wellbeing among men, addressing issues such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health challenges, and suicide prevention. It aims to challenge the stigma around men’s health issues, spark conversations, and promote early detection and intervention.

• In the UK suicide is the single largest cause of death for men under the age of 50.
• Globally we lose 1 man every minute to suicide.
• Men are three times more likely to die from suicide than women.
• Men’s life expectancy is 3.7 years less than females.
• Men go to the doctor less than women.

 

What can we do?

Check the basics

Mood is where it all starts. Mood can be influenced by the simplest factors such as dehydration, food intake and sleep. So before thoughts spiral, check in with the basics, check that you are eating, drinking and sleeping enough for your body type to keep your mood balanced. Check your Body Mass Index, blood pressure and cholesterol, go to the doctors to get these checked. Quality of food matters, superfoods like nuts, seeds, and fatty fish have an incredibly positive influence on mood and health. Processed foods and alcohol decrease mood and increase inflammation and pain in our body. Hormones are the strongest influence on mood, if you are feeling low it could be a hormonal imbalance which can be easily helped. Book your screenings for prostate and testicular cancer. Doctors are not there to catch you out, they are there to help.

Move more

Movement has a direct impact on mood. E-motion is ‘energy in motion’, as we move our body we move our energy and so we shift our mood. Move in a way you enjoy, so that you’re more likely to do it. Book it into your weekly routine, make it a non-negotiable, something you look forward to doing for you, a ‘want to’ not a ‘have to’, that makes it sustainable long term, and that’s when you’ll see and feel long term change.

Stamp out stigma

Research shows that the main reason males don’t talk about their mental health is stigma around it, a fear of losing respect. We have to actively work as a society to remove this stigma, both at home and at work…

Share from I

Be the change you want to see in the world. Be the person to initiate open conversations, even if it feels uncomfortable. Share from I – for example, ‘I was nervous today because I tend to worry about what people think, do you ever feel like that?’ Speaking from I creates connection and encourages others to do the same, allowing others to open up in a way they may not usually do. Practising being okay with vulnerability is so important, so that they learn it’s safe to do so generally. Communication is what makes the biggest impact on mental health. Socialising and realising most people have similar issues, dramatically reduces the risk of suicide. If you can’t do this at home or with friends, join a new sport or hobby group.

Create a safe space

People will only share if they feel genuinely safe. This means there has to be a totally honest, accepting, supportive environment, without judgement. This has to be felt, not just spoken about. People have to feel they can share honestly, without offending the other person. This means we have to do the work on ourselves to be able to hold space for others. Not react badly as we are being triggered by our past.

 

How to improve mental health at work

The health of your company depends on the health of your people. Improving mental health in the workplace reduces staff sickness, staff turnover and improves workplace productivity. The NHS found that every £1 spent on improving mental health had a £5 ROI.

1. Run a survey to identify needs within your company.
2. Put a plan in place to help e.g online or in-person wellbeing presentations on common themes or stress management / confidence building.
3. Hold monthly (can be online) meetings with breakout rooms and discussion topics to connect teammates and share useful tips and tools.
4. Encourage wellbeing conversations generally, send email reminders, book out discreet meeting rooms, block diary times for teams.
5. Create a culture of transparency, acceptance and support. Stamp out stigma fast. Host wellbeing days and events, raise wellbeing’s importance so that employees believe it’s a real company value. Encourage senior team members to share their stories.
6. Upskill managers, create a team of Mental Health First Aiders or wellness champions.
7. Health and wellbeing conversations should be held regularly and could be incorporated into existing processes, such as one-to-ones, appraisals or job planning discussions. Or develop a new stand-alone process, create personal wellbeing plans for employees. Make their happiness and health part of their continuous professional development journey.
8. If you don’t have resources for the above, outsource to wellbeing specialists.

 

Conclusion

Movember is more than just a month—it’s a movement that encourages men to take charge of their health and wellbeing. By incorporating healthy habits, fostering open conversations, and supporting one another, we can work towards a future where men’s health issues are proactively addressed and no one faces these challenges alone. So, gentlemen, let’s grow those moustaches, raise awareness, and make a lasting impact on our health and the wellbeing of those around us for generations to come.