Awareness and Support for Seasonal Changes

Emma, it's really, really very, very insightful and very much, not only relatable, but motivational. And I personally, based on my own experience, I'm in, you know, four or five times a week And absolutely, it was in my late teens and early 20s when I, what you're exactly describing, I did that and I'm benefiting from it. Yeah. Absolutely. A healthy lifestyle and exercise. Now, on that note, what could the Bracknell Forest healthshare community that you are part of and you are going to be the ambassador. What could the Brecon Forest HealthShare community do to support you or others through autumn and into the winter? I know you have touched on some very, very interesting and very, very relevant ideas. Ideas for engagements, conversations or or resources? So I think just having open discussions about seasonal depression, to be honest, I think is really important. Cause I think it's something that we just kind of brush off and you go, oh, feeling a bit sad cause it's dark. But I think actually it really impacts us on a deeper level that maybe a lot of people don't actually even make the link maybe where you start kind of feeling a bit down, a bit sad, and you don't really link the two because you think, oh, it's ridiculous. how can the daylight impact how I'm feeling? But I think it impacts us in such a deeper level than a lot of us even realize. So I think having that open discussion about that and maybe even just raising awareness, because I think if you're looking for it, you know, kind of being aware that, okay, I actually might start struggling a little bit as the seasons move through, then you can start adding in kind of protective behaviors a little bit. So you can schedule something really fun nice in the evening, you know, you finish work and you think, oh, you know, I think I feel a lot more tired in the evenings when it's dark. And so maybe not even it being exercise or eating well, but the focus on just actually going and doing a really nice activity with friends, whether that's at the library or, you know, anything, a sort of hobby. I think talking about that and kind of the importance of that would be really refreshing to see. I think as well the thing that helped me is kind of discussions around Alzheimer's as well and you know social connectedness and reducing your sedentary behaviour all of those things have a massive impact on kind of Alzheimer's and dementia down the line as well so I think I wish I'd known more about that when I was a bit younger to be honest I think I'm only really starting to think about that now so those things that people can really connect with. I think we all unfortunately know someone that's kind of been diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer's and those things with aging. I think bringing that to people's awareness younger, as I was saying, I think having discussions around that and also not so much in a medical way as well. I think people just chatting about it, you know, I listen to a lot of podcasts and I think people that aren't necessarily experts but just having conversations about um yeah aging and what they do in the evening to have fun and staying connected and all of those things. I think just having someone that you can really relate to, having quite a casual conversation about the things that they find difficult, those are the things that I really relate to as well. I think on kind of professional platforms we lack that a lot. I think a lot of it is just a GP and the second I start hearing that kind of medical jargon from a GP I just think oh well you don't know me, you don't know what I struggle with and I think I just completely zone out. Whereas if I see myself reflected in someone having a conversation I think I resonate a lot more with it. It's all about resonance and exactly sharing experiences with people and yes absolutely away from the highly formalized medical setting you're absolutely right and looking ahead Emma What are your hopes for your health over the coming season, I mean the winter, are there any goals, changes or specific intentions that you're setting? Specific intentions, I feel like I probably should set specific intentions, that sounds like something I should be doing, but I do sort of, yeah, so I've got this mindset at the moment that my kind of short-term goal is that over lunchtime I really want to get out and go for a walk because I'm very much like I'll walk the dog first thing in the morning, I'll walk the dog last thing at night, which is actually quite depressing when it's dark and raining. So at the moment I'm very much guilty of during my lunch break I'll put a wash on and I'll do kind of housework but I really want to get out and go for a walk over lunchtime and kind of get those steps in during the day so that's kind of that's the sort of kind of goal that I've set over winter. I kind of want to commit to still going to the gym in the evenings even though that becomes really difficult so I think if I really strongly set that intention now then hopefully I'll be able to see that through winter but I think as well just setting the goal to actually just be quite kind to yourself I think it's it's really challenging to stay motivated and you know try and stay healthy and stick to goals that you've set throughout winter. So I think having that element of kindness with yourself is really important as well. Couldn't agree more. Okay, let's let's absolutely being kind to yourselves. And that's where it starts. Now let's transition into winter and well-being and how do you