It’s Mental Health Awareness Week (13th – 19th May) in the UK and to celebrate we’re showcasing our Wellbeing and Leisure Collections!

Mental Health Awareness Week is run by the Mental Health Foundation and this year’s theme is movement and moving more for our mental health. Research shows that regular physical activity can make us happier and healthier by reducing stress and anxiety as well as boosting self-esteem, and building movement into our daily routines can have a positive impact on productivity and focus too.

Our Wellbeing and Leisure Collections includes our Wellbeing Collection, which is a collection of resources within the Library to promote health and wellbeing to our students and staff by providing information on all aspects of wellbeing, and our Reading Well Collection, which is a collection of books based on the Reading Agency’s Reading Well and Mood-boosting books to support reading to improve health and wellbeing.

Some of the key books and resources within our Wellbeing and Leisure Collections are Jennifer Moon’s Achieving success through academic assertiveness which offers real life strategies and positive actions for higher education students, and Lauren Lucien’s University life: making it work for you which is an essential guide on student life. There’s also Eat Well for Less which helps to address eating on a budget without compromising on quality – an issue that’s extremely relevant with the rising cost of food prices – and The Sleep Book: how to sleep well every night which will help in saying goodbye to sleepless nights. Me Talk Pretty One Day is a bestselling collection of essays by David Sedaris offering astute and humorous observations, whilst Love in Colour by Bolu Babalola is a captivating collection of love stories inspired by Greek mythology and Nigerian folklore.

Mental health is not just for Mental Health Awareness Week but is important for everyday living. The university’s Welfare Support Team are here to support all Keele students and can offer guidance and support to help you have the most happy and healthy time whilst at university, and the Students Union also have services and helplines that can help to support you and your mental health.

Enhance your wellbeing and leisure further by relaxing with Libby and Kanopy - discover a range of eBooks, eMagazines, eAudiobooks, TV shows and films that you might enjoy!

So get moving for Mental Health Awareness Week and check out our Wellbeing and Leisure Collections for a vast range of books and resources to help promote and improve your health and wellbeing whilst at Keele, and don’t forget to seek help and guidance for your mental health when needed!