How to celebrate World Health Day
What is World Health Day?
World Health Day is a global awareness day that is celebrated every year on 7th April to honour the fundamental work of the World Health Organisation (WHO). It was celebrated for the first time in 1950, when the World Health Organisation was founded by the United Nations as the leading global health authority.
The mission of WHO is to address and deal with global health issues as well as control and combat diseases across the globe.
World Health Day is used not only as a celebration, but as an opportunity to shine light on the importance of taking care of our body and mind. With all that is going on in our world today, Action Tutoring encourages everyone to take a moment and reflect on the importance of a healthy lifestyle.
How can you celebrate World Health Day?
There are numerous ways for groups, organisations and individuals to commemorate World Health Day. They include creating better habits for your overall physical and mental health; educating yourself more on health issues; organising a local or online event to raise awareness; spreading the word on social media, or donating to charities that champion health, both physical and mental.
1. Volunteer for a cause you care about
Joining a volunteering community you are genuinely interested in can be a great start. Volunteering is an eye-opening experience that reminds us all to appreciate what we have, and practise gratitude.
Why not become a tutor in English or maths? Tutoring is not only an easy and rewarding way to make a difference to the lives of young people living in your community, but an excellent way to do something different and get out of your comfort zone.
One of our our amazing volunteers from Liverpool, Paige, notes that ‘’The impact you can have on a child’s life is one of the most rewarding things any volunteering could offer!’’
What exactly are the health benefits of volunteering?
Volunteering helps counteract the effects of stress, anger, and anxiety. Due to Covid restrictions, we have spent a lot of time isolating at home; this lack of social interaction can increase social anxiety and the feeling of isolation, even with restrictions now lifted. Volunteering is a great way to reduce stress and anxiety by giving you a sense of purpose and helping you gain perspective.
Volunteering is an excellent way to feel happier! Acts of kindness can help increase serotonin, energy, happiness, and your lifespan. The more we give, the happier we feel.
Being a volunteer helps us stay physically active. Research shows that volunteers tend to have a lower mortality rate compared to others. Volunteering can also help with symptoms of chronic pain and minimise the risk of heart diseases.
Older volunteers can incredibly benefit from volunteering since it is a great opportunity to walk more and generally be more active. If you are a retired professional, you can get involved with us as a volunteer tutor and help schools in your community provide better education to vulnerable children.
2. Practice mindfulness
Prioritising mindfulness should be an essential part of our daily routine in order to lead a healthy lifestyle. This allows us to practise the art of making space for ourselves – space to reflect and focus on what’s really important.
Being more present every day and paying attention to your thoughts and emotions, as well as to your surroundings, can greatly improve wellbeing.
3. Start educating yourself, and in turn, educate others
Information is key. World Health Day is a great opportunity to educate ourselves on how to improve our physical and mental health. Why not take some time to think about what your body and mind needs?
There are hundreds of tools online that can help you prioritise health and encourage healthier lifestyles. Do some research and ask others for advice. The more you learn about the importance of taking care of yourself physically and mentally, the more likely you are to take action sooner.
However, it’s essential to keep in mind that our general wellness and health is a year-round subject. Whether it’s some much-needed time for yourself to practise mindfulness or joining a volunteer group, there are numerous steps you can take in order to fuel your body and mind.
At Action Tutoring we have created a safe and inclusive place where our team members, volunteers, pupils and teachers can feel supported, heard and empowered. If you could spare an hour each week to help disadvantaged pupils receive further academic support in English and maths, we’d love to hear from you.
