This week is Mental Health Awareness Week, and the theme for 2024 is movement.
The importance of being active on your mental health cannot be overstated. On top of the myriad of benefits for your physical health (improved fitness, heart and muscle function, blood flow, bone strength and brain cognition to name a few), the impact on wellbeing is substantial.
Being active can help to reduce the effects of stress, anxiety and depression, improve your sleep and reduce the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s. Exercise can also be a social activity, which can help overcome feelings of loneliness and isolation and give you the opportunity to make new connections. But possibly the biggest effect that moving your body can have on your mental health is how you feel. When you are active, your brain releases the hormone serotonin, which acts to boost your mood and increase your energy levels. This can help you feel more positive and motivated, which in turn can improve your confidence and self-esteem.
I’m a great example. Yesterday, I was feeling pretty lethargic and flat. I didn’t have much motivation to do anything, and I certainly didn’t feel like exercising. It was affecting how I viewed the whole day – I couldn’t get myself interested in anything at all. But then I gave myself a bit of a kick and forced myself to do a 15-minute HIIT workout, and the difference was profound. I was buzzing – I felt proud for pushing myself to do it, and I felt like I had a million times more energy. It also changed my perspective on the day, and I felt more engaged and decisive about planning something to do. All from just 15 minutes of moving.
If you do not currently do anything very active, it can feel daunting to get started. You might worry that you won’t be able to do it or feel self-conscious that everyone will be looking at you (they won’t, people are mainly focused on themselves).
The hardest part is motivating yourself to get up and do it in the first place. Once you have got yourself over that hurdle, you’re halfway there. Remember – the worst thing that can happen is that you get a bit red-faced and sweaty, or you realise you don’t enjoy whatever activity you were doing. But the benefits you could gain could be life-changing.
The activity you choose doesn’t have to be anything extreme – no one expects you to go out and run a marathon (although if that’s your thing, go for it!) Whether it’s walking, swimming, dancing, gardening or playing at the park with the kids, it all counts, and it will all make a difference.
There are also plenty of opportunities to be active if you are physically disabled, including swimming, inclusive gyms that offer accessible equipment and classes, seated workouts that focus on the upper body, and a plethora of wheelchair-based sports. There are also groups where you can team up with others for support, for example if you require a sight guide to run or tandem cycle with you.
Whoever you are, whatever your circumstances, as long as you are moving your body in some way and getting a little bit out of breath, you can reap the benefits.
The key is to start small and slow, and build up your strength, fitness and confidence. Don’t overdo it too soon, or you may be put off by it being too hard, or you might injure yourself. It’s also vital to find an activity you enjoy, otherwise exercise will feel like a chore – once you find your ‘thing’, it doesn’t even feel like ‘exercise’ anymore, it’s just fun.
It’s also important to remember that you don’t need to spend a fortune to get yourself moving (despite what it might look like on social media). If you want to participate in a sport, you might need certain kit, but you certainly don’t need an expensive gym membership or specialist clothing to be active. The 15-minute workout that I did yesterday was done in my living room via Youtube, for free.
Being active can take multiple forms, and will mean different things to different people, but one thing is for sure: you’ll never regret getting up and doing it!
Photo by Amauri Mejía on Unsplash
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