Make the Move for Mental Health Awareness Week

May is the month for Mental Health Awareness Week (13^th to 19^th) and the main focus this year is movement! So that may mean deleting your take-away app and venturing off into the outside world; cycling or walking to work and to meet up with friends; even getting up out of bed instead of holding it in is a challenge within itself!

Just by trying to move more you will not only wear out your shoes quicker so that you can treat yourself to the newest design, but you’ll increase your aerobic conditioning minutes per week to help you reach your recommended physical activity guidelines.

Don’t worry though, the guidelines are not there to create a superhuman race to fill future conscription needs. Far from it, they are there to try and give you the best quality of life possible by reducing your risk of disease and injury and promote a stronger body and mind. So, check deep behind the sofa cushion and see if you can find a spare 20 mins each day to get your heart rate up by moving more and you’ll reach your 150 mins per week target for a healthier cardiovascular system.

A positive environment will go a long way to help motivate you. If your household is anything like mine; it’s a death trap of scattered, sharp pointy toys and jumbo blocks and lurking behind every corner is a toddler ready to pounce or a baby nonchalantly rolling blissfully unaware into a mountain of crayons, tissue paper and glue sticks!  Your obstacles will most likely be different, but maybe it’s best to get out of the house.

Finding a well-equipped gym and lifting weights can be super motivating and rewarding as strength training has been shown to boost your mental health, emotional wellbeing and lower rates of mental illness; you’ll also get fitter and stronger as a result, which will make dodging toddlers far easier!

Just by moving more you can help treat mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. Gyms and fitness classes are full of people with similar goals and the atmosphere can be electric. Submerse yourself in that vibrant energy and soak it up, you may find that the added encouragement will fill your sails.

As you set sail on your journey to self discovery you may well find a few lingering icebergs masked as an array of obstacles like anxiety, depression, stress and pain; some of which you may collide headfirst and come to a grinding halt. This can be incredibly hard and may take some time to recover. Having a good support network where you can go out and meet someone for a chat can go a long way to helping you get back on track. Maybe you just need time to yourself, get out for a walk to clear your head and relax with some mindfulness.

Movement is the main focus this year for Mental Health Awareness for good reason; the more you move, the more chance you have of staying on a pathway that brings you better health, fitness and happiness.