Health and wellness
Health is the state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease, or infirmity. Wellness is an active process through which people become aware of, and make choices toward, a more successful existence.
Eating healthily, doing more exercise, stopping smoking, drinking alcohol within safe limits and looking after your mental wellbeing will reduce your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, breathing problems and mental illness. It will also increase your life expectancy.
Healthy lifestyle advice
Swansea Bay UHB offers advice and tools on how to help you look after yourself, including eating a balanced diet, healthy weight, exercise, quitting smoking and drinking less alcohol and improving sleep. There are also sections on Men's and Women's health.
You'll also find a range of apps and websites to support you in managing your Physical Health along with the recordings of some of our Health promotion lunch and learn events.
Follow the link for health lifestyle advice
Sleep and fatigue
Disturbed sleep can affect all areas of our wellbeing. It can have a huge influence on our life and it can be upsetting and distressing for us when sleep is disrupted. Sometimes the worry about not getting enough sleep can also add to the problem.
Sleep is unique to each individual and everyone has an ‘optimum’ number of hours of sleep needed. This optimum amount of hours can vary throughout our lives due to factors such as age, health and lifestyle.
Problems with Sleep
Sleep problems can occur for a number of reasons. These might include:
Normal effects of ageing: as we age the number of hours sleep we need can lessen.
Disruptions i.e. children, noises, partner, caring duties, comfort levels.
Medical conditions and pain
Depression, low mood and anxiety
Life events such as bereavements, work stress and big events
Lifestyle i.e. caffeine and alcohol or not enough exercise, napping in the day
Disruption of routine i.e. shift patterns
Menopause and other life changes
Developing positive sleep habits:
Many sleep problems can be addressed through making some of the changes suggested overleaf. However, if you think your sleep is being disrupted for medical reason such as illness, breathing difficulties or pain, it is always worth seeing your GP.
Swansea Bay UHB offers resources that may help with managing sleep difficulties and also a section on fatigue management.
Follow the advice for advice on sleep and combating fatigue
EMRTS staff can also access health board resources:
Follow this link for more resources
Wellness action plans: Guidelines for employees
End of shift wellbeing checklist
ICS Wellbeing resources library
SBUHB inhouse wellbeing resources