For most men, routine can get us through almost anything. For most men, we go no further in dealing with stress once the stressor has passed. Most men would probably benefit from understanding their mental health a little more. The connotations of that phrase can be negative but I prefer to think about it as human performance. For submariners, male or female, we keep going. We keep driving and working together and pushing for the next target. Already in an alien environment, we accept incredible stress, we limit support from family members, we deny ourselves any personal space, our eyes barely focus beyond a few meters, our diet becomes long life in just a few weeks, the wind in our hair is just an air conditioning unit and whilst exercise is usually available, you have to be able to do it in a space smaller than a broom cupboard. Despite all that, we keep going. We can struggle, but we keep going. Home life becomes difficult, but we keep delivering at work. We can do, can do, can do. But in pushing so hard, some people can really suffer. We understand this to be a mental health issue. But what about the other 98%? Are we perfectly fine? Again, we should move the conversation towards human performance. We shouldn’t wait until our minds will take us no further, we should look to improve and train our minds to be better every day. If we engage with yoga, meditation, mindfulness, breathing techniques or self-reflection, we can improve our everyday attitude and performance. Whilst these are so readily dismissed by many, they are some of the few things that are always available and are reliable. They don’t replace human interaction or exercise or sleep or good food, but unlike those, they can never be taken away. You just need time. The group activity might get cancelled, you might not want to run in the rain, the puncture repair on your bike might swallow up all of your training time, the internet connection might not support your gaming, you might burn dinner and the gym might shut because of CV19. A healthy body really will contribute to a healthy mind, but understanding your mind will help you deal with change; especially where it impacts your routine.

As Royal Navy Submariners we feel a deeper connection (pun intended) to the ocean that goes beyond the job. We rely on the ocean to survive, hunt and hide... similar to the wonderful creatures we share the ocean with.

The 2021 Conservation Action Focus is protecting at least 30% of our blue planet for a healthy ocean and climate. Just like national parks help protect animals and habitats on land, marine protected areas help safeguard areas of the ocean and marine animals. HMS Oardacious is supporting the movement to protect 30% of our ocean by 2030. Will you join us?

Mental Health Awareness Week 2021 has given many an opportunity to reflect and come together to tackle the stigma around mental health with a hope to continue the conversation that helps inspire us all to have a better mental wellbeing.

The theme of this year’s Mental Health Awareness week has aptly been chosen as “Nature”; Connecting to Nature is central to both our emotional and psychological health.