New university initiative to improve mental health and wellbeing

Warwick’s Sports Centre has launched a series of new free classes to improve students’ mental health and wellbeing.

The new programme is being run by Warwick Sport, with funding awarded from Sport England, and it is open to both students and staff at the university.

Taking place every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, each class lasts for 45 minutes and there is a different class each day, in such locations as the Library and the Rootes building.

In the “Combat Lethargy” class, students and staff who feel weary and unenergetic can become revitalised through a series of aerobic and resistance training exercises. Alternatively, those who are too stressed out can try “Resistance to Stress”, with resistance training exercises that help clear your head.

Students can also go to “Yoga for Study Performance”, which is intended to help enhance memory and concentration, or to “Mind Body Movement” to improve overall mental and physical health.

Ted Crowson, Warwick SU’s Sports Officer, commented: “The mental health and wellbeing initiative has come about from an increased awareness around the need to support mental wellbeing at university.”

He continued: “I hope everyone looks to take them up as an alternative method to de-stress, as we all know sport can be a fantastic tool to achieve that!”

This new initiative to improve wellbeing and mental health comes as part of the University’s aim to become the most active campus in the UK by 2020.

First-year Law student Vicky said: “To my knowledge, Warwick students’ mental health is generally far better than at some equally leading universities, and that is perhaps helped by programmes like these.”

According to a 2016 YouGov survey, 63% of students experience anxiety or stress, affecting their daily life, with 71% identifying university work as the main source of stress.