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​Often the change in seasons to the winter can leave you feeling tired, tearful, or grumpy. And if you experience this, then you’re not alone. While research suggests around 3% of people in the UK are diagnosed with full-blown seasonal affective disorder (SAD), there’s also a milder form, which is much more common and can result in low mood. SAD, or ‘winter blues’, affects 21 % of the population in the UK, explaining why so many of us are left feeling down through the colder months. ​Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that comes and goes in a seasonal pattern. SAD is sometimes known as "winter depression" because the symptoms are usually more apparent and more severe during the winter. The exact cause of SAD is not fully understood, but it's often linked to reduced exposure to sunlight during the shorter autumn and winter days. The main theory is that a lack of sunlight might stop a part of the brain called the hypothalamus working properly, which may affect the: •Production of Melatonin – melatonin is a hormone that makes you feel sleepy; in people with SAD, the body may produce it in higher than normal levels •Production of Serotonin – serotonin is a hormone that affects your mood, appetite and sleep; a lack of sunlight may lead to lower serotonin levels, which is linked to feelings of depression •The body's Internal Clock (Circadian Rhythm) – your body uses sunlight to time various important functions, such as when you wake up, so lower light levels during the winter may disrupt your body clock and lead to symptoms of SAD ​Symptoms of SAD The symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) are similar to those of normal depression, but they occur repetitively at a time of year - they usually start in the autumn or winter and improve in the spring. The nature and severity of SAD varies from person to person. Some people just find the condition a bit irritating, while for others it can be severe and have a significant impact on their day-to-day life. Signs that you may be depressed include a persistent low mood, a loss of pleasure or interest in normal everyday activities, feeling irritable, feelings of guilt and worthlessness, low self-esteem and tearfulness, feeling stressed or anxious, a reduced sex drive and/ or becoming less sociable. A small number of people will experience these symptoms in phases that are separated by "manic" periods where they feel happy, energetic and much more sociable. In addition to symptoms of depression, you may also: •Be less active than normal •Feel lethargic (lacking in energy) and sleepy during the day •Sleep for longer than normal and find it hard to get up in the morning •Find it difficult to concentrate •Have an increased appetite – some people have a craving for foods containing lots of carbohydrates and end up gaining weight as a result ​Ways we can counteract SAD There are a number of simple things you can try that may help improve your symptoms, including: •Trying to get as much natural sunlight as possible – a brief lunchtime walk or 3 lots of 10 minutes’ walk around the block each day can be beneficial – even in the rain! •Making your work and home environments as light and airy as possible and try to set up so you sit near windows when you're indoors working •Taking plenty of regular exercise – see types of exercise below •Eating a healthy, balanced diet and keep hydrated •It can also be helpful to talk to your family and friends about SAD, so they understand how your mood changes during the winter •Try to socialise – SAD encourages isolation but that tends to worsen mood, so see friends and have fun. Where you cannot physically meet due to COVID restrictions, a phone call or video call can also help •Vitamin D (D3) - Taking a supplement can help to counteract low mood through winter months when we are exposed to less sunlight •The nation of Iceland has lower rates of SAD which may be down to the diet, high in oily fish, which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Eating at least one portion weekly helps or top up with an omega-3 supplement – flaxseed, or algae-derived omega-3 if you’re vegan or vegetarian. ​Screen Fatigue If you’ve been working from home more since the COVID-19 and using a computer more throughout the day, you may have noticed your eyes feeling more tired than usual by the end of the day. Too much screen time can put a strain on our eyes which can lead to headaches, eye strain, dry eyes, tiredness and reduced productivity. By using a screen more, we are constantly looking at things that are closer to us than further in the distance – and it’s making our eyes work harder as a result. To help prevent this remember the 20/20/20 rule. After 20 minutes of screen time: Look outside the window at a distance of 20 feet for 20 seconds – and repeat. This gives our eyes the opportunity to relax. You could also try eye yoga. Look to the left, hold the position and repeat looking right. Look up, hold the position, repeat looking down. Repeat four times, closing your eyes and relaxing in between. Try this as a break for your eyes throughout the day. If you haven’t completed a DSE Assessment since working from home during COVID, speak to your employer about what you can both do to ensure your working from home arrangements are suitable. ​Types of Exercise There are numerous forms of exercise we can do, to help manage our physical health. Different people will enjoy different forms of exercise, and it is about finding what works for you. ​NHS Physical Activity Guidelines: The NHS provide the following physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64. You can look at this in more detail at https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/.Adults should do some type of physical activity every day, and any type of activity is good for you, the more you do the better. Adults should: •Aim to be physically active every day. Any activity is better than none, and more is better still •Do strengthening activities that work all the major muscles (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms) on at least 2 days a week •Do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity a week •Reduce time spent sitting or lying down and break up long periods of not moving with some activity. You can also achieve your weekly activity target with: •Several short sessions of very vigorous intensity activity •A mix of moderate, vigorous and very vigorous intensity activity You must ensure that the type and intensity of your activity is appropriate for your level of fitness. If you have not previously done any exercise or not exercised for a long time, you may want to consult your GP before you begin. If you are over 65, please look at the NHS website for further fitness advice for your age group. ​What is moderate activity? Moderate activity will raise your heart rate, and make you breathe faster and feel warmer. One way to tell if you're working at a moderate intensity level is if you can still talk, but not sing. Examples of moderate intensity activities are brisk walking, water aerobics, riding a bike, dancing, doubles tennis, pushing a lawn mower, hiking and rollerblading. ​What is vigorous activity? Vigorous intensity activity makes you breathe hard and fast. If you're working at this level, you will not be able to say more than a few words without pausing for breath. In general, 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity can give similar health benefits to 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity. Most moderate activities can become vigorous if you increase your effort. Examples of vigorous activities are jogging or running, swimming fast, riding a bike fast or on hills, walking up the stairs, sports, like football, rugby, netball and hockey, skipping rope, aerobics, gymnastics and martial arts. ​What is very vigorous activity? Very vigorous activities are exercises performed in short bursts of maximum effort broken up with rest. This type of exercise is also known as High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). Examples of very vigorous activities are lifting heavy weights, circuit training, sprinting up hills, interval running, running upstairs and spinning classes. ​Muscle Strengthening Activities: To get health benefits from strength exercises, you should do them to the point where you need a short rest before repeating the activity. There are many ways you can strengthen your muscles, whether you're at home or in a gym. Examples of muscle-strengthening activities are carrying heavy shopping bags, Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, lifting weights, working with resistance bands, doing exercises that use your own body weight, such as push-ups and sit-ups, heavy gardening, such as digging and shoveling, wheeling a wheelchair, lifting and carrying children. You can do activities that strengthen your muscles on the same or different days as your aerobic activity – whatever's best for you. Muscle-strengthening exercises are not always an aerobic activity, so you'll need to do them in addition to your 150 minutes of aerobic activity. ​NHS Fitness: Use the below links to try these exercise videos or programmes: •Aerobic workout videos in the NHS Fitness Studio •For a moderate to vigorous workout, try Couch to 5K, a 9-week running plan for beginners •Strength workout videos in the NHS Fitness Studio •Strength and Flex, a 5-week exercise plan for beginners, to improve your strength and flexibility ​Remember to be aware of your fitness levels and speak with your GP if you are unsure whether you should do a certain type of exercise, or if you have not exercised for a long time or before. It is much better to start slowly, gently and cautiously, to avoid risks of injury or illness. Further Guidance can be found at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder-sad/ https://www.healthline.com/health/asthenopia https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/ ​

​​The Autumn edition of Safety First, Ganymede’s quarterly safety newsletter is now available to read. ​In this edition we focus on:Previous lessons learned COVID-19 on-site prevention and reportingUsing the What3words appSocial media guidance Spotlight on safety - 'Well done to Chris Byrne' Close call award - Graham WilliamsLoading vehicles safely Seasonal safety tips for driving. ​We hope you find the newsletter useful and engageing. we also welcome any feedback you might have.​Read the Autumn Safety First Newsletter

​At Ganymede, our commitment to provide the industry with reliable, safe and quality workforce and recruitment solutions remains our upmost priority. ​As such we are delighted to share the news that Ganymede has recently strengthened its portfolio of accreditations. Based on the results of the audit and our ability to demonstrate the development and maturity of our management system, Ganymede have achieved continuation of our registration to ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 27001, SSIP and successfully transitioned to the new health and safety standard, ISO 45001 (previously OHSAS 18001).​Lauren Bradford, Compliance Manager at Ganymede said: “These accreditations demonstrate that we work to the highest standards and provide a framework for our Compliance Team to develop our systems and processes. It allows our clients to be confident that we consistently provide a service that meets both the client and regulatory requirements and shows that we are striving to be the best in our field. I am particularly proud that Ganymede passed the audit process with zero non-conformances”.​If you would like to find out how Ganymede can provide your business with reliable, safe and quality workforce and recruitment solutions, please get in touch with us: info@ganymedesolutions.co.uk ​

Domestic abuse, or domestic violence, is defined across Government as any incident of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are or have been intimate partners or family members, regardless of their gender or sexuality. The Government’s definition of abuse is published in the Domestic Abuse Bill 2020.​What are the types of abuse?‘Domestic abuse’ covers a range of types of abuse, including, but not limited to: psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional abuse. ‘Domestic abuse’ can be prosecuted under a range of offences and the term is used to describe a range of controlling and coercive behaviours, used by one person to maintain control over another. It is usually perpetrated by the person’s partner but can also be committed by a family member or carer. It can happen at any time during a relationship, even after a couple is split.​Domestic abuse is rarely a one-off incident and is the cumulative and interlinked types of abuse that have a particularly damaging effect on the victim. The ‘domestic’ nature of the offending behaviour is an aggravating factor because of the abuse of trust involved. Anyone forced to change their behaviour because they are frightened of their partner or ex-partner’s reaction is experiencing abuse.​Who faces abuse?Men, women and children can all be victims of domestic abuse. Domestic abuse occurs amongst people of all ethnicities, sexualities, ages, disabilities, immigration status, religions or beliefs and socio-economic backgrounds. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) recognises domestic abuse differs in severity between incidents, and more often than not, will increase in frequency and seriousness, having a cumulative impact on the victim/complainant. The definition includes so-called 'honour' based violence, female genital mutilation (FGM) and forced marriage, and is clear that victims are not confined to one gender or ethnic group.​Spotting the signs?If you believe that you or someone else could be a victim of domestic abuse, there are signs that you can look out for including:Is the partner jealous and possessive?Is the partner charming one minute and abusive the next?Do they tell the individual what to wear, where to go, who to see?Do they play mind games and make the person doubt their judgment?Do they control the money?Do they apply pressure the person to have sex when they don’t want to?Do they use anger and intimidation to frighten and control the person?Do they monitor technology use such as social media platforms?Does the individual appear withdrawn?Do they have bruises?Are their movements or activities restricted, i.e. not being allowed to leave the house, meet with friends?​For anyone who feels they are at risk of abuse, it is important to remember that there is help and support available to you, including police response, online support, helplines, refuges and other services. You or they are not alone. If you’re worried a friend is being abused, let them know you’ve noticed something is wrong. They might not be ready to talk, but try to find quiet times when they can talk if they choose to.​Helplineswww.cps.gov.uk/domestic-abusewww.womensaid.org.uk/information-support/what-is-domestic-abuse/ Women’s Aid also host a directory of local domestic abuse services: https://www.womensaid.org.uk/domestic-abuse-directory/ www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/articles/domesticabuseprevalenceandtrendsenglandandwales/yearendingmarch2019www.hse.gov.uk/search/search-results.htm?gsc.q=domestic%20absue#gsc.tab=0&gsc.q=domestic%20abusewww.gov.uk/guidance/domestic-abuse-how-to-get-help?gclid=CLrlnej02-oCFczOGwodvmEMkg&gclsrc=dswww.nationaldahelpline.org.ukhttp://www.fgmnationalgroup.org/within_the_uk.htmRape Crisis National Helpline (12-12.30pm and 7-9.30pm each day) – 08088 029 999 https://rapecrisis.org.uk/ (England and Wales)Rape Crisis Scotland - (6pm to midnight) – 08088 010302 https://www.rapecrisisscotland.org.uk/Men’s Advice Line – 0808801 0327https://mensadviceline.org.uk/​About A.D.V.I.C.EA Dedicated Voice for Inclusive Collaboration by Everyone (A.D.V.I.C.E) is an official health and wellbeing scheme, comprised of contractors, principal contractors and clients within the rail and construction industries. Companies include: Barhale, Bovis Homes, Ciras, Colas Rail, Ganymede, McGinley Support Services, Midland Metro Alliance, Network Rail, RSS Infrastructure, Transport for Wales, Van-Elle Limited and Vital Human Resources.Ganymede is proud to part of this initiative and bring positive change to health, safety and wellbeing throughout the industries by providing guidance and advice to all those that work in the rail and construction industries.​​

​​The Summer edition of Safety First, Ganymede’s quarterly safety newsletter is now available to read.​In this edition we focus on:Coronavirus updates and our code of conduct Spotlight on safety ​SpeakUpSummer driving tipsAnd more...We hope you find the newsletter useful and we welcome any feedback you might have.​Read the Summer Safety First Newsletter

​In the current climate many businesses are facing challenges, however, some are needing to carry on as normal or even looking at growth. Face-to-face interviews are no longer taking place (or at least not without with considerable challenge), and more and more people are turning to video technology to maintain momentum with their hiring plans.Don’t let the current situation hold you back from achieving your goals. Positions still need to be filled, and you can still secure great candidates and get them up and running remotely. The companies that will be least affected by the unforeseen challenges Covid-19 has thrown at us will be the ones that manage to maintain operations as close to business as usual as possible. Don’t let social distancing stop you from securing your dream hire. Ganymede Connect, our new instant video interviewing software is the answer to business continuity and here’s why…FlexibilityFirst off, there’s no travel involved, and this means you’ll have access to candidates from further afield as they can interview from wherever, whenever giving you a much wider pool of talent to choose from. There’s also no time off required which is perfect for candidates who are considering their options but who might struggle to get time off from their current roles. With self-isolation and social distancing on everyone’s mind, the flexibility video offers is essential for combatting the impact of Covid-19.​TimeAdding video interviewing to your hiring process increases the interview to hire ratio by 70%. No longer are candidates judged solely by words on a CV (the usual ‘first sift’ process). Instead, they can talk through their skillset in detail using our solo interview screening functionality.We’ll conduct your first stage interviews for you. Then we’ll send these back to you in a candidate shortlist for review. So, you’ve immediately skipped a whole stage in the process. Plus you’ve avoided needless diary coordination and saved time sitting through interviews (even virtual ones) with people you know aren’t the right fit.​TalentThe fact is people are still hiring. Agile businesses are determined to keep going and are not taking this lying down. We know not every business is in a position to hire, but for those that are, they will need to adapt their processes to capture the best talent. Introducing video to your hiring process instead of putting a stop to it until it’s all blown over ensures you’re not missing out.​Get In touchFind out how Ganymede Connect can save time and get the best talent to keep your business moving forward by completing the contact form below. ​​