International Mens Health Week

International Mens Health Week will run from Monday 8th until Sunday 14th June 2026.

The overall aims of the week are to:

• Heighten awareness of preventable health problems for males of all ages.
• Support men and boys to engage in healthier lifestyle choices / activities.
• Encourage the early detection and treatment of health difficulties in males.

MHW gives everyone (health professionals, service providers, sporting bodies, community groups, employers, policy makers, the media, churches, individuals ...) an opportunity to encourage men and boys to take better care of their health and to seek help or treatment at an early stage.

Here are some simple reminders that you can do to keep an eye on your body and mind:

1. Check your pulse. Place the finger of one hand on the thumb side of the tendons running through the opposite wrist. You should be able to feel the radial artery pumping. Count the beats over four 15 second periods and add them up. This is your resting pulse – a good guide to the heart’s efficiency.
2. Unexplained weigh loss or gain? The simplest guide to whether you’re in a healthy weight range is your waste measurement.
3. Check yourself over… Do you have any unexplained lumps, breathing difficulties or shortness of breath, pain, swelling or itching, changes in bowel habits or moles that have changed in shape or size?
4. Check in on your mental health. How are you feeling? A mood diary can support in recognising your thoughts, feelings and emotions and keep track of any changes.

 Remember to report and discuss any concerns or worries to your GP.

You can also visit our health and wellbeing pages Lifestyle Advice and Self-Health Check.

Article submitted by: Health & Wellbeing Team