How to spot the signs that someone might need to talk…

Going through a mental health problem is hard enough, without having to face it alone. But new research has found three quarters of men aren’t willing to open up to friends about their mental health.

Cleveland Fire Brigade is reminding all road users (incl .pedestrians, runners, dog walkers and cyclists) to make sure they are visible on these dark mornings and evenings.

This initiative is part of the Brigade’s support for the annual BRAKE Road Safety Week (18-24 November) which this year has the theme ‘Step Up For Safe Streets’.

Andrew Bright, the Brigade’s Learn and Live Co-ordinator said, “This is the time of the year when people out and about on the streets can go unnoticed to passing motorists as they sometimes simply cannot be seen. By wearing reflective clothing or attaching light reflectors on your bag, sleeve or even your dog, means accidents can be avoided and lives saved. Cyclist should have lights and reflectors on their bikes but can further enhance their visibility using additional reflectors.”

The Brigade is shining a light on winter road safety. If you are in a running, dog-walking, cycling or walk to school group, just follow us on Instagram, post a photo of your group and tag us in and we will be in touch with the first 50 groups to provide you with FREE light-up reflectors to help our communities Be Safe and Be Seen (limited supply available).

Between April 2018 and March 2019, the Brigade attended 323 road traffic collisions and 37% of these (119) were during the winter months from November to the end of February

Every 20 minutes someone is killed or seriously injured on a British road and each of these tragedies is preventable.  BRAKE Road Safety Week is a reminder for everyone to learn about what they can do to avoid becoming another road casualty.

For more information on Brake Road Safety Week go to www.roadsafetyweek.org.uk

A NATIONAL campaign putting small businesses and their contribution to communities in the spotlight is heading to Middlesbrough.

Brits can’t catch a wink

New study reveals shocking truth about the nation’s relationship with sleep

Sleep helps reduce stress, can improve your memory and help you maintain your weight, yet the average Brit only gets 5 hours and 36 minutes of uninterrupted sleep a night - despite the fact that the NHS advises we get around 8-hours of quality rest.

As the nation struggles to settle down for a night’s sleep, research reveals that temperature (39%) anxiety (36%) and light (26%) are the primary reasons for being sleep deprived.

Age also plays a key factor in the fight to sleep,  around a fifth (18%) of over 55’s say they don’t get a good night’s sleep at all during the week, in comparison to almost a quarter (23%) of 18 – 24 year old Brits who say they’re getting at least three nights ‘good night’s sleep’ a week.

The study also reveals that financial concerns keep a fifth (20%) of Brits tossing and turning in bed at night, closely followed by anxiety in the workplace (18%) and long working hours (13%).

Noise is also stopping us get a decent night’s sleep with nearly a third of people say they’re (29%) woken up by snoring, followed by dogs barking (20%) and road traffic (17%). 

More than half of (63%) of Brits are unaware of their legal rights when it comes to making an official noise complaint, yet of those who had awareness, around a third (31%) have never made an official complaint even though they’ve wanted to.

The research commissioned by sleep wellness brand eve sleep, is encouraging the nation to lobby the government to make sleep a human right.

Three quarters (77%) of Brits polled believe that the right to sleep should be considered a fundamental human right, yet it is not currently included within the legislated list of fundamental human rights within the UK.

People are also being warned of the effects on sleep of the clocks going back this weekend (Sunday 27 October) and how to counteract the negative impact this has on sleep quality.

Other findings:

• Over half (58%) of those polled expressed worry about the potential negative impact a lack of sleep can have on mental and physical health.
• Unable to leave work at the office, nearly seven in ten (68%) Brits have experienced sleepless nights due to concerns over workload. 
• Six in ten (58%) agree that their employees have a responsibility to respect their quality of sleep,
• West Midlands is the nation’s most sleep deprived region with an average of just five hours and 18 minutes sleep, however East Anglia (five hours and 22 minutes) and South West (five hours and 23 minutes) were not far behind on the lack of sleep front.
• In fact, whilst North East and South East are the ‘UK’s soundest sleepers’, they still only managed to achieve on average five hours and 45 minutes of sleep per night.