On average men die six years younger than women, and for reasons that are largely preventable. This month make your mental and physical health a priority with these five easy steps from the Movember Foundation.
- Make time to catch up with the people who make you feel good
Spending time with your family and your mates is good for you. In fact, people who feel socially connected have lower levels of stress anxiety and depression, have higher self-esteem and feel more confident. Your mates are important so make sure you make time to regularly catch-up and check-in. - Talk, more.
Globally one man dies from suicide every minute, and while we’re good at being here for our mates only 48% of men say they rely on their friends and ask for help. Reaching out and having honest conversations is important! If you’re struggling or think that your mate might be, talk about it. You don’t need to be an expert and you don’t have to have all the solutions, but by being there and listening can be lifesaving.
- Get a check-up
At 50, talk to your doctor about prostate cancer and whether it’s right for you to have a PSA test. If you have a family history of prostate cancer or are of African or Caribbean descent you need to have this conversation earlier at 45. Make sure you’re scheduling regular check-ups with your doctor to keep an eye on your health and to help prevent any minor issues from developing into more serious health complications. - Do self-checks
Women are encouraged to do self-exams of their breasts and it’s just as important for men to do the same with their testicles. Get to know what’s normal and do regular self-checks. If something doesn’t feel right see your doctor. - Get active
Move more and do more of what makes you feel good. Add more activity into your day and try to move for 30mins each day.
- Take a walking meeting
- Park further away from the station
- Get off the bus a stop or two earlier
- Instead of the lift, take the stairs
- Walk or cycle to work instead of driving
- Get a group of mates together and have a social game of sport or physical activity like walking, cycling or running.
Source: This is an edited extract from ‘Make your health a priority for Movember’, available from AFA Care and Benestar at https://benestar.com/. For more information about accessing AFA Care resources available at Benestar please visit https://www.afa.asn.au/afa-care
