We understand that moving away from home can be stressful and with the pressures of everyday life too, you may need a little extra support from time to time.
When it comes to mental health, if you or a friend are struggling with the strains that university life can bring, you’re not alone. Thousands of students are affected across the UK and there’s a good chance people you know are going through the same thing.
It’s important that you don’t suffer in silence. You may have people in your life you can trust to talk to about it, like a friend, family member, your GP or university lecturer.
We know that sometimes you might not always feel comfortable sharing with certain people, so if you’d like to talk to a professional, there are many services you can turn to.
Your wellbeing
Here at Sanctuary Students, we want to do everything we can to make your university experience one to remember. That all starts with you living a happy and healthy life, and we’ll do what we can to help you maintain this lifestyle while staying with us – and beyond!
Helpful
advice
Our top tips
We have a range of blog posts about looking after your mental health while studying at university. Take a look below at our top five tips:
Eat nutritious, healthy meals
Eating a well-balanced diet and looking after yourself can lift your mood, as well as giving you more energy. If you’re an anxious or stressed person, cut down on your caffeine intake. And don’t forget breakfast is the most important meal of the day!
Exercise regularly
Being active is proven to lift your mood as your body releases mood-boosting chemicals to your brain. It also gives you something to focus your mind on. You don’t need to run a marathon – just a short walk may help! It can also help you get a good night’s sleep, which leads us on to…
Get plenty of sleep
Sleep is really important, and a lack of it can contribute towards quite a few problems. While we sleep, our bodies regulate the chemicals in our brains that transmit information, which manages our moods and emotions. Try to get eight hours each night – you’ll feel refreshed in the morning and ready to take on the day!
Set realistic goals
You may be finding the simplest day-to-day tasks unmanageable, so setting small and achievable goals – such as getting out of bed or having a shower – can benefit your mental health and help you stay productive. Increase your goals when you feel you can, but remember to not push too hard or put too much pressure on yourself.
Avoid alcohol and drugs
Go out, spend time with friends and enjoy yourself, but we suggest keeping alcohol use to a minimum – and try to avoid other drugs as they’ll only aggravate the problem. Although alcohol and drugs may give you a boost or relax you at the time, it’s worth thinking about the long-term effects, too.
Getting
help
If you find yourself in a position where you’d rather chat to a professional, Health Assured offer access to professional support services with practical tools to help you manage your emotional and psychological welfare. For issues such as stress, depression, relationship issues, legal concerns, coping with change, financial problems and much more, Health Assured is there to help at any time – day or night, 365 days a year.
Simply get in touch with Health Assured for free by calling 0800 030 5182 (or +44 161 836 9498 if you’re outside the UK) whenever it’s convenient for you. You can call and chat to an experienced, professional counsellor as often as you need and for as long as you need, with no prior appointment necessary. Again, this is completely free for students staying with Sanctuary Students, and all details will be kept confidential.
Know where to find help
Samaritans
Freephone: 116 123
Open 24- hours a day
Web: Samaritans.org
Sane Support Forum
Mental health forum for discussion and support
Web: sane.org.uk
The Mix
Freephone: 0808 808 4994
Open 11am-11pm
Text: THE MIX to 85258
Web: themix.org.uk/get-support
Anxiety UK
Phone: 03444 775 774
Open Monday-Friday
9:30am-5:30pm
Need more info?
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Living with us
We know that moving to a new city can be a bit scary, so we do everything we can to make your move as simple as possible.
Locations
We’ve got a range of student accommodation available from shared flats to self-contained apartments.
International students
Sanctuary Students accommodation is already a home from home to hundreds of international students.