The bWell Podcast from Unum UK

Episode 42 - Snooze Control

Sleep underpins wellbeing. Without a good night’s sleep our health and wellbeing are likely to be affected. To cover all things sleep, we’re joined by guests from Square Health, the partners powering Help@hand, the award-winning health and wellbeing app from Unum.

 

We live in a society where many of us don’t prioritise sleep. When there’s pressure to be ‘always on’, spending hours a night lying horizonal might not feel like a good use of time for some people.

 

Yet sleep is vital to managing our health and wellbeing. Without sleep, our mood, immune system, metabolism and even our heart and brain health can suffer. This podcast will cover the benefits of sleep, plus some top tips on how to get a good night’s rest.

Episode 41 — Well appy? Men, wellbeing and accessing support

Men are less likely to engage with many healthcare services — this includes mental health support. Too often, this can lead to tragedy. So how do we make accessing mental healthcare services easier for men to improve frequency of use?

 

The most cited reasons for not attending healthcare services amongst men is not being able to get time off work (and the potential for lost earnings if they do), inconvenient opening times, long waiting lists and simply not being aware of the services available to them.

 

In this podcast, we talk more about the resources and support available to men to tackle these barriers to accessing vital care for their mental health and wellbeing. This includes health and wellbeing apps available on their phone, bringing wellbeing to men rather than men having to take time to seek it out.

 

Episode 40 - Oral health tips to get your teeth into

In this podcast, dentist and digital health leader Dr Deepak Aulak sits down in front of our mic to cover why maintaining your oral health with regular visits to the dentist is vital to your entire body, not just your mouth. To support the 2024-2026 theme of World Oral Health Day (a happy mouth is a happy body), we’ll discuss the links between poor oral health and poor physical health.

 

Regular dentist visits for preventative care and treatment as soon as you recognise a problem is vital not just for your mouth but the rest of your body. Poor oral health has been linked to endocarditis (infection of the inner lining of the chambers of the heart); cardiovascular disease; pregnancy complications such as premature birth and low birth weight; pneumonia; Alzheimer’s disease; strokes; and respiratory/lung disease.

 

Dr Deepak will cover the links between poor oral health and poor overall health, including preventative tips straight from a dentist’s mouth on beating the links between such conditions and poor oral health by making simple improvements to your dental routine.

 

As well as being a registered dentist, Dr Deepak heads up Toothfairy, a company providing digital dental services in the UK. In partnership with Unum, Toothfairy offers a wide variety of support to our Dental Insurance customers, including a 24/7 chat line manned by dentists; videos and articles packed with tips on maintaining oral health; a symptom checker; discounts on at-home cosmetic treatments and more.

 

 

Episode 39 - Lived experience of neurodiversity

We’re more aware of neurodiversities than ever, with diagnoses among adults rising due to this greater awareness and better diagnostic criteria. For many working adults, receiving a diagnosis later in life may prove a revelation, helping them to understand for the first time that their brain is wired differently — although by no means worse than — the brains of their colleagues.

 

In this podcast, we have someone from inside Unum talk about their experience of neurodiversity in the workplace. You’ll hear from their own personal experience about their neurodiversity, their journey to diagnosis and their role in the world of work both before and after that diagnosis.

 

Join us as we cover the best adjustments employers can make to accommodate neurodiversities and why having a neurodiverse team can prove an asset.

Episode 38 — A carer’s toughest patient is often themselves

In partnership with cancer charity Maggie’s, this podcast spotlights the UK’s unpaid carers looking after a friend or loved one — whether that person has cancer or any other illness.

There are an estimated 10.6 million unpaid carers in the UK. Caring can take a major physical and emotional toll, but carers often push their own needs aside to focus on their loved one. In 2023, a poll of unpaid carers found 62% needed support with their health and wellbeing and 30% said their mental health was bad or very bad. Meanwhile, 29% of unpaid carers feel lonely often or always.

It can be difficult for carers to focus on themselves when a loved one is so ill, but it’s important they take the time to recharge. The philosophy about being unable to pour from an empty cup is so true — without time to recharge, carers may find themselves unable to keep doing everything they do. In this podcast, we discuss supporting the wellbeing of unpaid carers, as well as that of the people they’re caring for.

Episode 37 — Vagus Baby!

Join us for this podcast with addiction and anxiety yoga specialist Ellie Shanley. Ellie will help us debunk the myth that yoga is just for lululemon clad women who drink matcha — world leaders from Canada’s Justin Trudeau to India’s Narendra Modi are big fans. Nor is it about tying your body into impossible knots. Just the principles of breathing and being present can reset your two vagus nerves, which run either side of your body from your lower brain to the chest a stomach and are important in helping you feel calm. Resetting your vagus nerves and taking time for yourself makes yoga an incredibly effective tool in supporting and enhancing your wellbeing and regulating your emotions and nervous system, all whilst also building physical and mental strength. 

Episode 36 — Healthy living, healthy life (New for 2023)

In this updated podcast, registered nurse Emma Squire joins us to discuss how making small, healthy changes to your life today can improve your health and wellbeing over the long-term. We also cover how simple changes can improve health risk management.

Episode 35 - Movement and mood

Following on from Back Care Awareness Week and just 3 days after World Mental Health Day, this podcast covers the important relationship between your mental health and moving your body. We’re delighted to have Square Health join us to cover the benefits of activity to both your physical and mental health.

 

A holistic approach to mental and physical health is essential as there’s a big link between them. Improving physical health can improve mental health; in turn, improving mental health can make taking steps to improve physical health (such as physical activity) easier to achieve.

 

For employees covered by a Unum Group Risk policy, our health and wellbeing app Help@hand provides unlimited mental health support.  Meanwhile, employees covered by Group Income Protection get access to sessions with a personal trainer. One of the areas personal trainers can help with is supporting those struggling with injury to slowly build up their fitness in a way that doesn’t exacerbate their condition.

 

^{* For mild to moderate issues. Number of sessions subject to clinical appropriateness.}

Episode 34 – Let’s talk neurodiversity

Neurodiversity is becoming less of a taboo topic and more widely discussed — especially on social media, which helps break down barriers to more awareness and knowledge on the topic. At the same time, confirmations of neurodiversities from clinicians are rising.

More diagnoses and greater awareness will likely mean the needs of neurodiverse employees and the accommodations employers can offer them will become more important to businesses. This podcast invites you to take the time to understand the topic a little bit more. It’s aimed at everyone, whether you are neurotypical or neurodivergent — and especially if you don’t know what those terms even mean!

Episode 33 – Nutrition and diet

Healthy Eating Week falls in June each year. It’s all about supporting and promoting healthier lifestyles with nutrition and diet. However, it’s not always simple. Food labels can be confusing and there are various fad diets that seemingly disagree on foods to reduce or increase to lose weight. So where can you turn?

Unum UK’s award-winning bWell podcast host Beth Husted is back to discuss the importance of maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle. She’s joined by Samantha Beckinsale, a diet and nutrition expert from Help@hand,[1] our health and wellbeing app, to cover the basics of what a good diet is and why it’s important.

Nutritional coaching[2] is a new feature of Help@hand, introduced in April 2023 for employees of our Group Income Protection (GIP) customers. This provides virtual access to a qualified diet and nutrition expert who’ll help you build a tailored healthy eating plan.

Once you’ve given the podcast a listen, if you’re covered by a Unum GIP policy check out Help@hand for tailored diet and nutrition advice and guidance on making sustainable changes that stick.

[1] Help@hand is provided to Unum Group customers by Square Health. It offers access to services designed to manage the health and wellbeing of employees and their families. Help@hand is entirely separate from any Unum insurance policy. Help@hand is not part of the insurance contract, is provided by Unum for no additional cost to its customers, and Unum can withdraw or change the service in the future. Help@hand is available to UK residents only. Unum offers access to the Help@hand services provided by third parties. Square Health Limited, registered in England and Wales Number 07054181. Crown House, William Street, Windsor SL4 1AT.

[2] Six sessions per year for the insured employee. Only for employees insured by Unum Group Income Protection.