40+ (mid-life)

Connect

For many people, reaching midlife can mean relationships mature or sometimes end, children grow up and flee the nest and you can often become carers for elderly parents. Research has shown that friends, especially happy friends, help keep each other happy as well as healthy. If you feel you need some support for existing relationships that are struggling, take a look at how Relate may be able to help you.

Give

Quite often in midlife your time is filled between caring responsibilities of looking after your children and parents as well as work. You may feel you have no spare capacity to physically give time to anyone else so this could be an opportunity to give in a different way - have you considered giving blood? It is easy to sign up to become a donor and with more people that ever eligible to donate blood its a good time to get involved.

Give Blood

Be active

Being active is one of the best things you can do to look after your health. With more people now working from home there are more opportunities to include a daily morning or lunch time walk into your day. If you are in a workplace, are there options to take a walking meeting, use a standing desk or use an onsite gym? Walking is one of the simplest forms of exercise and is beneficial to heart, muscle, bone and mental health.

Take notice

Men aged 45-49 and women aged 50-54 have the highest suicide rates in England and Wales. There is support available for everyone from self help right through to inpatient care and being able to take notice and spot signs of poor mental health and suicidal thoughts in family and friends can save a life. For information on local services available visit the following sites -

Warwickshire County Council - mental health

Coventry City Council - mental health services

If you require help yourself or are concerned about someone else you can also visit the Dearlife Website.

Learn

Connect

Give

Be active

Take notice