Sleep Well

A good sleep at night helps you manage better during the day.

 

Did you know that around 90% of young people don’t get enough sleep?
Getting the right amount of sleep can make a massive difference to how you feel. 8 or 9 hours’ sleep a night means you can start the day with a brain that’s switched on and ready to go.

Not getting enough sleep, or over-sleeping, is often the first sign that things are not going well for us.

 

 

Tips on how to get a good night’s sleep:

  •  Aim to go to bed at the same time every day – your brain and body likes routine.
  • Power down an hour before bed. Doing something calm and relaxing, and keeping out of bright light, tells our brain to start winding down.
  • Lower the brightness on your phone and computer screens at night. Some phones have a night mode which is one way to do this.
  • No screen time in bed. Screen time can interfere with your body’s natural sleep rhythm. It can also sometimes trick your body into thinking it’s daytime. Move devices into another room so you are not tempted.
  • Wake up at the same time every day by setting an alarm (buy an alarm clock or ask someone to wake you). Tell your brain it’s time to wake up by turning on the light or opening curtains.
  • Set up a sleepy room. For the best sleep, aim to have a quiet and dark room, that’s not too hot and not too cold. If you don’t have curtains, or can’t control noise levels, try covering your eyes with something and use ear plugs.
  • Eat well. Avoid coffee, heavy meals, alcohol and smoking before bedtime.
  • Get moving. Thirty minutes a day of physical activity can really make a difference.
  • No nana naps. If you’re having major trouble sleeping, try not to nap during the day. If you find you need to nap, it’s ok but only for a short time (under an hour).
  • Sleep in on the weekends if you need – tell people in your household ahead of time that you are catching up on sleep that you’ve missed out on during the week. This way they can support you to sleep in. But only for up to 2 hours more than your usual wake up time.

 

When those annoying thoughts keep you awake…

  • Still can’t sleep? Get up. If you are lying in bed awake after 20–30 minutes of trying to sleep, don’t push it. Instead, leave your bed and do something – read, watch TV, etc…  don’t try going back to bed until you are sleepy.
  • Don’t watch the clock too much. Checking the time a lot during the night can wake you up and reinforces negative thoughts such as “oh no, I’m not going to get my 8 hours’ sleep!”
  • Schedule a “worry break” into your day: worrying about the past or future are all unhelpful thoughts and feelings that can keep you from a good night’s sleep. Schedule in 20 minutes a day to write down all the things that worry you. Put them in a drawer or “worry jar”.
  • Little details stressing you out? If you keep being woken up, worried you are going to forget something important the next day, write it down. The next time you start to wake, take comfort knowing “I’ve got it noted, I can fix it tomorrow”.
  • Every time a big upcoming task keeps you up, remind yourself, “I have plenty of time to get lots of work on it tomorrow, the best thing now is to rest”.

 

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Check In

Learning about mental health issues means you can check yourself and check in on your mates too. Click and drag side to side to scroll through the topics to learn more.

What is Mental Health?

Mental health is a state of mind.  Everyone has mental health, just as we all have physical health. Having positive mental health means we have strong relationships, and cope with everyday stress in life to reach our full potential.

Find out more

Myth-Busters for Mental Health Problems

Some people misunderstand what mental health problems really are. When this happens we can judge people the wrong way, exclude them and end up being disrespectful. We can change this by busting those myths together!

Find out more

How to check in

Have you got a mate who’s just not themselves lately? Maybe a family member who seems angry or withdrawn? Do you want to say something but are not sure how?

Find out more

Depression

It’s normal to feel sad, stressed, angry or miserable, especially if we’ve gone through stressful times.

Depression is more than this.

Find out more

Anxiety

We all know what it’s like to feel worried. Unfortunately for some people, worrying, feeling on edge and panic can be much more intense and overwhelming.

Find out more

Alcohol

A lot of people don’t think alcohol is a drug. It’s actually the most widely used and easily accessible drug in New Zealand. It can have a major impact on your mental health. There’s lots of help available to learn how to ease up on the drink.

Find out more

Being Bullied?

No-one deserves to be bullied. Bullying is a serious problem that can disrupt your life and lead to physical and emotional health problems. You don’t have to go through this alone. Help is available.

Find out more

Online Bullying

Online bullying, or cyber bullying, is when a person uses digital technology to send, post or publish content to hurt someone. There’s lots of tips on how to deal with this.

Find out more

What is healthy gaming?

Gaming is a normal and healthy part of our lives and it can have a positive impact on our mental health and wellbeing. For a small number of young people, gaming can have a more negative impact on everyday life.

Find out more

Grief

Grief is our natural response to loss – for example, we experience grief when someone close to us dies. We all experience grief differently. Some people start to feel better in weeks or months, for others, it’s years.

Find out more

Feel Good

There's only one of you and we want you to live well and feel good so you can be your best self. Check out tips and tools on how to feel good.

Mind

Body

Soul

Mindfulness

Looking for ideas of how to reduce our stress and anxiety? Practising mindfulness activities can help us chill out and clear our minds, so we can deal with things better.

Find out more

Sleep Well

A good sleep at night helps you manage better during the day. Learn to overcome those annoying things that keep you awake and how to get a good pattern of sleep.

Find out more

Relax. Breathe.

Your mental wealth relies on you taking the time to look after both your body and mind. Sometimes life gets so busy, and you forget to take time out to relax, rest and recharge. Breathing is another way to take your relaxation in life to the next level.

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Grow Gratitude

Did you know that feeling grateful for what we have can improve our mental wealth? Appreciating people and things makes us happy! But it takes a lot of practice so give it a try.

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Digital Detox

Recharge and refresh yourself! Perhaps it’s time to step away, have a break from those digital devices that take up all of our time and focus. Sometimes we can lose track of reality and our relationships with the real world. A digital detox might just help us recharge, regain sight of what’s important and take better care of ourselves.

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Eat Well

If we want to feel good, we need to make the right choices about what we eat and drink. What we eat and drink not only affects our appearance, but also our energy levels, and the way we think about feel about ourselves.

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Get Moving

A strong body supports a strong mind and can help us cope with things like stress, anger and anxiety. There’s lots of fun ways to get moving, on your own or with mates. Every little bit counts!

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Spirituality

Spirituality generates positive emotions in people. Whether it’s about having a greater purpose in life, a religion, or living out your personal values, spirituality can make us feel good.

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Cultural Identity

Culture gives us a sense of belonging, pride and identity. It’s something to celebrate and cherish. Find out how we can discover and nurture our cultural identities.

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Stay Connected

It's a fact that people who are connected are more likely to be happy. Find out how to stay connected so you look after your mental wealth.

Get help now

If you or someone you know is in immediate physical danger, call 111 now. If you’re experiencing mental health problems or need support, help is a phone call away.

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How to connect

Staying connected to friends, whānau, school, work, nature and the world around you is critical to your wellbeing.

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Understanding gaming: Tips for friends and whānau

Are you worried about a family member’s gaming habits and internet use? Learn how to engage in conversation with them.

Find out more

Screen Time Tips

We really value screen time because it can be fun and relaxing. But too much screen time can get in the way of other activities that are good for us, like socialising, sleep and exercise.

Finding a balance between time online and other activities is important for your physical and mental health.

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Intergenerational communication

Connecting with parents, grandparents, aunties or uncles can help us feel a sense of belonging.

Find out more

Aunty Dee

For when life sux, Aunty Dee can help you solve your problems.

Sparx e-therapy

e-therapy for young people who are feeling down, worried or stressed.

For Pasifika

Atu-Mai: culturally-based tools to support Pacific young people to unleash their full potential.

Netsafe

Online safety for New Zealand.

Youthline

Here to help and here for you. Text Youthline on 234.

The Lowdown

Straight up answers for when life sux.

Common Ground

Advice and information on how to be part of a support network for a distressed young person.