It’s time for another ‘Good News Monday’ and this week is all about greenery! Research by the Department of Landscape Architecture in the US in collaboration with Royal Horticultural Society found that having plants in your garden or yard has been found to significantly reduce stress levels. The researchers at the Universities of Sheffield, Westminster

Autumn has well and truly arrived in the UK, and with the changing of the seasons, it means that we’re going to be seeing less sunlight than the spring and summer months. A main source of Vitamin D comes from the sun, and those who live in countries far away from the equator, like the

Last week’s Wellness Wednesday post was all about how to navigate being diagnosed with a serious illness. In today’s blog, we’re going to be sharing some tips on how you can cope when a loved one is ill. Whether you become their carer during these difficult times or not, having a loved one diagnosed with

If you’re anything like us, watching a cute puppy, kitten, bunny (anything fluffy really), will make you feel warm and fuzzy inside. The above photo is actually of our Dalton Wise family dog, Archie! We’ve got some great news for animal lovers this week, as researchers at University of Leeds have found that looking at

We all go through periods of change in life, and sometimes these transition periods can be really overwhelming, making us feel anxious and exhausted. Significant change can sometimes be hard to navigate, and it’s not just the negative transitions that can be draining. Happy moments like a new job, marriage, starting a family can also

Around three million people in the UK are living with a serious illness. Whilst serious physical illnesses affect your body, they can also take a toll on your mental health and affect every area of your life. They can impact your relationships, career, spiritual or religious beliefs, socialising habits and can make you feed sad,

Happy Monday and welcome to another instalment of ‘Good News Monday’. We’ve got some great news for all you bath lovers out there today – a recent study suggests that taking regular hot baths may be good for your health. The study showed that taking a hot bath several times a week may reduce risks

Eating disorders are serious and potentially fatal mental illnesses, and effect around 1.6 million people in the UK. If left untreated, they can impact your daily life and make you seriously ill, leading to health issues such as heart and kidney problems or even death. They can involve eating too much or too little or

In the coming days, many people will be packing their bags, loading the car and moving to university. Starting university can be really exciting and fun, but it’s also natural to feel nervous and overwhelmed throughout those first few weeks as it is a big life transition. In today’s Wellness Wednesday blog post we’re sharing

Stress is unfortunately very prevalent in the lives of many and it can lead to a whole host of health issues such as heart disease, diabetes and anxiety to name a few. It’s normal to feel stressed sometimes, but it’s vital that you’re able to manage it before it leads to burnout or other mental

Many people experience trauma in their lives, but what is it? According to the American Psychology Association, it is “an emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, rape, or natural disaster.” Trauma can be lead to a number of both physical and emotional symptoms, and there are actually different types. Not everyone who

Did you know that in England and Wales, 42% of marriages result in divorce? Divorce is one of the most stressful life transitions, and it can really take a toll on your mental and physical health. Many people expect to be with the partner for the rest of their life, so the breakdown of this

Many elderly people are still shielding and keeping their distance from their loved ones in order to protect themselves from the potentially fatal coronavirus. As a result, many have not been able to see or talk to their family or friends for months. The Dreamweaver Foundation has now provided 300 free Facebook Portals to OAPs

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the outcome of experiencing or witnessing a trauma. We have previously written a blog post about the disorder which you can read HERE and today we’ll be discussing what can trigger symptoms of PTSD. Not everyone who experiences a trauma will develop Post-traumatic stress disorder, however, it can affect people

When you have children, your life is defined by your role as a parent. It can be really difficult to adjust to a new way of life when your children move out. Some parents have an especially hard time dealing with this transition, and this experience is often referred to as ’empty nest syndrome’. This

The start of a new week can mean only one thing – a good news story. This week we’re sharing a brilliant story of how hypnotherapy cured a lifelong fear of fruit and vegetables. 32-year-old Jenny Edgar from Coventry had an intense fear of these nutritious foods and would physically gag if she tried to

Bipolar disorder, previously known as manic depression, is a form of mental illness that is distinguishable by extreme mood shifts. It’s actually pretty common, with 3 million people in the UK living with the disorder – that equates to around 1 in 50 people. It’s one of the UK’s most common long-term conditions – it’s

We all have relationships in our lives, whether that’s with a significant other, family members, friends or work colleagues. Relationships are so fundamental to our daily lives, so it’s vital to our happiness that they are healthy ones. Many of our stresses come from third parties, so being able to navigate the relationships in your

We are all advocates of yoga here at Dalton Wise, and today’s ‘Good News Monday’ post is all about this form of exercise. According to a recent study of 538 patients, yoga has almost halved the number of symptoms amongst those with the common heart condition Atrial fibrillation (AF). The condition is potentially fatal and

Separation anxiety is a typical part of child development from the ages of six months to three years old. Some children may continue to have symptoms of into late childhood – they may have irrational fears about being away from their parents meaning they’re scared of doing things like sleeping over at a friend’s house

Life transitions and major changes can be really stressful to deal with. Transitions occur multiple times throughout life and can include challenges such as a relationship breakdown, divorce, starting a new job, moving home, health issues, loss of a loved one or significant financial loss or gain to name a few. Whilst they can be

Happy Monday everyone. The start of a new week can only mean one thing here at Dalton Wise – a good news story! This week we’re sharing a lovely and uplifting story about Giuseppe Paterno, former railway worker and now Italy’s oldest graduate. He has already lived through childhood poverty, World War II and now

We recently wrote a blog post about what to do if you are experiencing suicidal thoughts. Today, we want to share some advice on what to do if a loved one is thinking about taking their own life. There are many reasons why someone may think about suicide, and if they are exposed to a

We all feel nervous or unconfident sometimes, maybe in a room full of people, we don’t know, before public speaking or a job interview. However, low self-esteem can become a long-term problem which can negatively impact mental health and even effect your day-to-day life. When you have low self-esteem, you view yourself negatively and tend

Whilst lockdown has been a long and tedious experience, it may have had a positive long-term effect on work-life balance. The requirement to stay and work at home has taught a lot of employers a really valuable truth, which is that staff don’t actually need to be in the office to be productive. In fact,

Self-harm is when someone intentionally hurts themselves as a way of dealing with difficult emotions. There are many reasons why someone self-harms, these could include: Expressing or managing emotional distress Trying to gain control Punishing themselves A need to change emotional pain into physical pain An escape of traumatic memories A cry for help Response

We all know someone that we find it difficult to deal with, perhaps it’s a family member or a work colleague. These relationships can cause a lot of stress, so it’s important to know how you can manage these relationships and keep a healthy, happy mindset. In today’s Wellness Wednesday blog post, we’re sharing our

Happy Monday everyone! We hope you had a lovely weekend are ready for the new week ahead. This week’s Good News Monday is a really fun and positive news story, all about beavers! It’s been a very good week for beavers in Devon. No one knows how they came to arrive there, but 15 families

Many people have suicidal thoughts at some point during their lifetime, but what are they? Suicidal thoughts or feelings mean thinking theoretically about ending your life, or feeling as though your loves ones would be happier without you. It can also involve thinking about ways you can take your life, or setting out plans to

In today’s Wellness Wednesday blog post we’re going to be sharing ways that you can manage your fear, anxiety and panic. It’s normal to feel anxious and fearful sometimes – they’re really important emotions that help us avoid dangerous situations. However, it’s not normal when these emotions arise without a threat present. Fear, anxiety and

Happy Monday and Happy August! This is our first Good News Monday instalment of the month, and it’s all about a ‘new era for walking and cycling’. The government has put together an active transport and travel strategy to make England safer for pedestrians and cyclists. As part of this initiative, cyclists are now able

It can be difficult to see when a friend or family member is suffering from mental health issues, particularly because many people try to hide it or don’t feel like they can speak openly. A mental health crisis can also develop slowly and gradually meaning it’s more difficult to notice the changes. Luckily there are

Did you know that 10% of people in the UK are reported to be living with depression? With that high of a statistic, it’s very likely that some of your employees are part of that 10%, and the mental health issue can hugely impact their work life. The mental health charity, Mind, found that one

A North Carolina retirement and assisted living home has started a pen pal programme for its residents and residents living in other nursing homes in the area. A group of residents took to social media to ask for letters to help boost their spirits. They posted on Facebook photos of themselves holding up a mini-bio

Most of us have fears – whether that’s of spiders, snakes, heights… Feeling scared is an evolutionary and rational response to things or scenarios that are a threat to us. It becomes a problem however, when the reaction of panic or terror to objects, activities or situations is largely out of proportion to the actual

It’s all too easy to get wrapped up in negative thoughts. Do you often take things personally? Do you find yourself criticising yourself regularly? Get angry often? Turn little things into big issues that can play on your mind for days, weeks or even longer? If these scenarios seem familiar, you’re experiencing negative thoughts. Negative

It can all seem a bit doom and gloom when it comes to coronavirus. Whilst we are now opening the country back up again and cases in the UK are declining, it’s hard not to worry about what the future holds. Luckily, there seems to be some positive results from vaccine trials around the world.

Social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, is a common issue that typically begins when the sufferer is a teenager. It’s a long-term and overwhelming fear of social situations. It can be a very distressing issue and it can have huge impacts on day to day living, and for most people, it doesn’t resolve

It’s extremely important to experience and express emotions, and they play an intrinsic role in how we react to certain situations. Our emotions can help us to make decisions, form positive relationships, interact with others and even help with self-care. That being said, they can become out of control and can also take a toll

In today’s instalment of ‘Good News Monday’, we’re talking all about last week’s government announcement which detailed how lockdown is continuously easing, the latest with the reopening of gyms. Outdoor swimming pools were permitted to reopen to the public from Saturday, and outdoor gyms have been able to operate since 4 July. However, it has

Many people suffer from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). As the name suggests, those who have OCD experience obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours. It is a form of anxiety disorder which is characterised by uncontrollable, unwanted thoughts and ritualised, repetitive behaviours that the sufferer feels compelled to perform. The disorder can affect everyone – men, women and

We all feel stressed from time to time. Maybe you’re under pressure in your job, you’ve had an argument with a family member, or perhaps you have money worries. Stress is normal, however, it’s important to know how to manage stress before it gets worse and starts to affect your daily life. Stress impacts us

Welcome to another instalment of ‘Good News Monday’, and this week’s positive news is all about our National Health Service. Yesterday (5 July 2020) marked the 72nd anniversary of our beloved NHS. On this date in 1948, the NHS was established by Aneurin Bevan – Minister of Health at Park Hospital in Manchester (now known

If you have experienced a panic attack before, you’ll know that they can be very scary and distressing. We all have times where we feel anxious or panic, it’s a completely natural response to scenarios that are stressful or dangerous. However, it becomes problematic when these feelings arise on a regular basis for no apparent

When you’re feeling stressed and anxious, have you ever stopped to take note of your breathing? It tends to be shallow and rapid. In contrast, have you realised how your breathing differs when you’re relaxed? It’s slower and deeper. Practising breathing techniques is an effective way to help you relax in stressful situations – they

The coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown measures have meant that many people around the world have had to completely isolate and keep their distance from loved ones to avoid catching the potentially deadly illness. This has been particularly difficult for elderly and high-risk people who have been advised by the government to stay at home.

You’ve probably heard the term hypnotherapy before, but a lot of people aren’t completely sure what it is, or what the process involves. In short, hypnotherapy is a method of therapy that uses the power of suggestion to encourage positive change. Many people opt for hypnotherapy if they’re looking to quit smoking, treat phobias, stop

Life is stressful. Work, relationships, household chores – it can get on top of us sometimes. This stress can make us feel anxious, on edge and worried. If this sounds familiar, why not try and find some time to meditate? Everyone can meditate – it doesn’t cost any money, doesn’t require any special equipment and

It’s the start of a new week, which means another dose of good news. Today’s good news is that the government have agreed to extend the free food vouchers scheme over the summer holidays! These £15-a-week vouchers will continue to be distributed to some of the country’s poorest families as the ‘COVID Summer Food Fund’

Leading on from our previous blog post to mark Loneliness Awareness Week, today we’re going to be discussing what loneliness is and why we can experience it. Loneliness is a term used to describe the feeling of an absence of rewarding social contact and relationships. It’s not the same as being physically alone; some people