SASD Wellness Newsletter

Wishing everyone a joyful first week of school and a warm welcome back! As we embark on the 2024-25 school year, it is essential to emphasize the importance of wellness and well-being. Taking care of ourselves physically, mentally, and emotionally will help us succeed professionally and personally. Remember to eat nutritious foods, get plenty of sleep, and take breaks when needed. Let's support each other throughout the school year in creating a positive and healthy environment for learning and growth.

Chronic pain is defined as pain experienced most days or every day during the last three months. According to the U.S. Pain Foundation, more than 51.6 million Americans live with chronic pain. Additionally, a recent National Institutes of Health study found that new cases of chronic pain outnumbered other chronic conditions, like diabetes, depression, and high blood pressure.

Did you know that exercise can help ease chronic pain? Exercise can feel daunting at the best of times, and even more so for someone with a condition that causes chronic pain. But when done correctly, the right amount of exercise can actually offer relief. Start with 5-10 minutes of physical activity each day, whether it's doing housework, parking farther away, or taking the stairs. Every bit can build you up to longer exercise sessions. You can also focus on light aerobic and stretching exercises and slowly increase the length and intensity of your routine. And remember to talk with your primary care physician before significantly increasing your activity level. This is especially important for those with underlying medical conditions. You should also ask about the amounts and types of activities that may be best for you.

Some aerobic and stretching exercies to try as you look for the right activity level for your type of pain include: pilates, tai chi, walking, yoga, swimming, dancing, cycling, and elliptical.

Remember, before changing an exercise routine, it's important to talk with your health care providers about your physical activity level to make sure the change fits your needs.

The SASD Wellness Program is pleased to invite you to a 30-Day Meditation Challenge presented by Mental Health America (MHA) Lakeshore, kicking off this October! Meditation has been shown to reduce stress, improve focus, and enhance overall well-being. By taking part in this challenge, you will gain valuable tools to navigate daily pressures with greater ease and resilience. Furthermore, this presents an excellent opportunity to cultivate a nurturing community both within your school building and throughout the entire district.

Cost: FREE of charge! All SASD employees are encouraged to participate!

What to Expect:

Over October, you will embark on a path of relaxation, mindfulness, and enhanced mental clarity. MHA Lakeshore's meditation challenge is designed to integrate seamlessly into daily routines, offering a supportive and uplifting experience for everyone involved. Participants will receive a link to a private YouTube playlist with all 30 meditations, a calendar to record progress, an optional daily journal, and daily affirmations.

Action Required:

To ensure you receive all the necessary materials and can fully participate, please sign up using the following link: 30 Day Meditation Challenge Participant Sign up Link. The earlier you sign up, the better! This will allow MHA Lakeshore to send you the meditation challenge materials directly, 24 hours before the challenge begins.

If you recently enrolled in SASD health insurance with a start date of September 1st, note that your share of the premium will be at the lowest rate for the rest of this year and all of 2025.

In the next month or so, you will be getting a "Welcome Email" from Wellworks For You with all the details you need to log into your Wellworks For You portal.

If you’ve recently added your spouse to your plan, your premium share will stay the same. To get your spouse set up on the Wellworks For You portal, send an email to Human Resources at human-resources@sasd.net providing their name and email address. This information is required to be able to create a Wellworks For You account for them.

Beginning in November 2024, you and your spouse (if applicable) will be required to complete 40 points and an annual physical by the deadline of October 31st each year to maintain the lowest insurance discount rate for 2026 and beyond.

Additional wellness services are available to those on SASD health insurance. Click on the SASD Wellness Website link at the bottom of this newsletter for more information on the SASD Wellness Program.

Requirement: Self-report your completed annual physical AND 40 wellness points on the Wellworks For You portal by September 30, 2024. Any activities completed after the deadline will not count. For example, your annual physical is scheduled for October 1st, and you self-reported it on September 30th.

Incentive: Two (2) additional points awarded in next year's wellness cycle (November 1, 2024 - October 31, 2025).

If your spouse is on your health insurance plan, they are also invited to participate and earn the early bird points.

In accordance with HIPAA confidentiality laws, your individual data on the wellness portal is accessible only to you and the third-party vendor, Wellworks For You. Any discrepancies or technical difficulties, such as issues with form uploads or missing points, should be reported to Wellworks For You. You can reach them by utilizing the "Contact Us" link located in the upper right corner. The school district does not have access to your individual account as it is restricted solely to you and Wellworks For You.