Seafarer Mental Health and Wellbeing

Consider that you can’t expect your mental health to be where you want it to be if you neglect your physical health…

Inputs also apply to what you consume mentally. To many people relaxation is scrolling through their social media feeds. Whilst understanding that social media can be a way for people to maintain a sense of contact with home, we can consume so much content that it impacts our ability to focus, maintain a good attention span and retain knowledge and information. It can also lead to overwhelm as there is only so much information that we can absorb, again leading to feelings of stress.

Creating energy to improve physical and mental wellbeing

Exercise is a powerful tool for mental health—not just for releasing ‘feel-good’ chemicals like endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin, but also for creating energy. That’s why people often feel calmer and happier after working out.

Paradoxically it is when people least feel like exercising that they derive most benefit, so if you’re fatigued and in a low mood exercise is probably the last thing you feel like doing, but potentially the most beneficial. Exercise also clears the stress hormone adrenaline from your body, leaving you feeling calmer, more relaxed and very importantly more likely to sleep better.

Stress triggers the brain’s fight-or-flight response, releasing adrenaline—even when threats aren’t life-threatening. The only way to reduce adrenaline is to burn it off through movement. This doesn’t mean hours in the gym—just 30 minutes of brisk walking or any heart-pumping activity can make a difference.

The importance of sleep on energy levels? This can be summed in one word- crucial. We know that a lack of sleep is frequently cited as a major issue among seafarers, so how can you address that?

The impact of mindset on mental health and wellbeing.

Our quality of life is often said to be governed by the quality of our thoughts. We have to take responsibility for this and for our mindset.

Whilst absolutely not downplaying the role of external circumstances on stress experienced by seafarers, the level of stress felt and the subsequent impact can be reduced shifting our mindset and addressing internal factors.

There are events that happen everywhere that we cannot control- but what we have absolute control over is our responses and our thoughts around events. When it comes to uncomfortable or negative situations we always have 3 options: change the situation, leave the situation or change our thoughts and perspective about it.

Wishful thinking or reality?

Shift your mindset—every negative has a positive if you look for it. Training your brain to see this builds resilience, reduces stress, and rewires your response to challenges.

Gratitude is a powerful emotion that fosters feelings of wellbeing. Taking just a few minutes out of your day upon waking to write down or simply think of 3 things for which you are grateful can help reduce the negative feelings you may be encountering. Similarly, doing the same prior to sleeping can have a similar effect, along with writing down any troubling thoughts you may have (journalling). This can help you to see them in a different light and with increased clarity instead of them running through your mind.

Is this the same as positive thinking? No.

Positive thinking alone isn’t enough—action is what truly makes a difference.

Your actions shape your mental well-being

Take stress, for example. If you isolate yourself, skip meals, or neglect hydration, your brain interprets this as a threat and releases stress hormones, making you feel worse. Instead, act as if you feel fine—socialize, exercise, eat well, and engage in activities you enjoy. Make time for something fulfilling every day.

Absorbing activities help shift focus away from stress. Your energy flows where your attention goes, so redirect it toward learning a skill, working on a qualification, or setting personal goals.

The brain is a problem solving machine- if you don’t look for challenges or objectives in a positive manner they have a habit of finding you in a not so positive way. It will try and solve problems that don’t really exist or exacerbate minor problems.

Goals you set yourself don’t need to be huge- in fact the best goals are those that stretch you but are realistic. They could be getting fit, staying fit, getting stronger or eating healthily- things you can work towards on a daily basis and get that satisfaction from contributing towards them on a daily basis and benefit from the good feelings that brings.