Will restart COMING 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR

Wellness does not need to be complicated. It can be as easy as listening to music, taking a walk, exercising, or finding any activity that places you in a calm state. It can be difficult trying to figure out where to start, so we (Beta Club and Nurse) are here to offer a wide range of ideas. This initiative was started due to the increase in mental health numbers across the United States. We hope to bring forth fun activities, statistics, teach different coping skills, and overall improve the mental health state of the students, even if it is only 30 minutes. We will be setting up a table in the commons on the first Wednesday of every month during lunch. 

We understand how important wellness is, and the impact it has on our daily lives. We want to help encourage and support each student during their journey by targeting your mental, physical, or emotional well-being.

Some of the activities we have been able to provide so far:

*Create your own stress ball

*Write a positive affirmation 

*Send another student a valentine's heart or shamrock 

*Games, worksheets, and coloring activities

*Table talk conversations 

*What do you do to improve your mental health? 

*Stress relief by providing journals, rings, balls, stickers, etc. 

*Handouts related to de-stressing, and creating a better mind set 

If you or your student have any recommendations, please do not hesitate to reach out to the nurse, robin.hinderliter@cabarrus.k12.nc.us

Did you know that getting regular physical activity is one of the most beneficial actions you can take for your health?  Only about 20% of American adults get at least 2.5 hours of moderate physical activity each week. Read on to learn how you can improve your health through physical activity.

Learn more about the benefits of physical activity.

Resources to help you increase your physical activity:

1. Use this planner to set goals, choose activities, and get tips to stay motivated.
2. How much physical activity do adults need and what counts as aerobic or strength training?  CDC physical activity
3. Where to walk in Cabarrus County

Protecting Your Mental Health When You Are Under Stress

Meeting the many demands at work, school, and home is stress-producing for most. Talking and debriefing are ways to help cope when dealing with stressful situations. We may be dealing with major emergencies that need decisive action, routine situations that cause distress and moral dilemmas, or an accumulation of smaller events or difficult conversations causing stress. Some folks may also experience indirect trauma when exposed to difficult situations or disturbing images or stories second-hand.

Everyone needs to recognize the signs of stress or anxiety building up for themselves, such as sleep problems, binge eating, muscle tension, moodiness, anger, or frequent illnesses.

Talking with a safe person:

Studies have shown that simply talking about our problems and sharing our negative emotions with someone can be profoundly healing.​

• Talking reduces stress, strengthens our immune system, and reduces physical and emotional distress.​

• Talking about a problem can help break it into smaller parts, which can stop you from feeling so overwhelmed.​

Debriefing:

• The National Institutes of Health defines debriefing as a conversational session that revolves around sharing and examining information after a specific event has taken place.

• Debriefing sessions are effective for persons recently involved in a very stressful event or an emergency or crisis. Sessions may be 1:1 or with a group of people.

• Debriefings can give employees a voice through discussion of unanticipated or difficult situations, and the opportunity to recommend changes.​

• Participants are encouraged to have open, honest communication, allowing each person to share their experiences and emotions.

• Without debriefing there are missed opportunities to destress, evaluate the process objectively, learn from the situation, improve future outcomes, and share information with others.

• Provides support​.

We all deal with stressors, every day, both good and bad. Some days the stressors are bigger and scarier than others or pile up. Recognize the physical symptoms that you experience when you are feeling stressed and find someone that you trust to talk to. It is proven to work!