The benefits of movement on our mental health are the focus of the Mental Health Week 2024 campaign. Under the motto “Move more for our mental health”, this week, aims to help everyone who struggles to move enough. In previous post, we talk about how we can include more movement in our routine, today we explain all the benefits that a more active live provides to our lives.
The evidence of the benefits of movement to both physical and mental health is well documented. However, over a third of UK adults do not meet the recommendations set out by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
In the UK, 36% of adults (aged 18+) do not meet the physical activity recommendations set out by the World Health Organisation.
At the same time, the UK Chief Medical Officer’s physical activity guidelines emphasise that people who are the least active have the most to gain from doing more. Even small increases in physical activity levels can result in a range of physical and mental health benefits.
Physical activity positively affects both physical and mental health. Research has found that there is strong evidence to support the role of physical activity in the reduction of symptoms of depression and anxiety. it is proven that regular physical activity can reduce your risk of depression by up to 30%. The studies also demonstrate that people who are inactive have three times the rate of moderate to severe depression of active people.
Being active have many mental health benefits, including increased self-esteem, reduced stress, and improved quality of life. And, although more than a third of the population does not meet the recommended guidelines, data collected by Mental Health, one of the most important foundations for a healthy and long life in the UK, shows that 82% of British adults believe that regular physical activity is important for mental health and wellbeing.
According to this data, today we explain some of the most important benefits to include more movement in the daily rutine for the mental health.
It is important to remain that the physical activity includes any movement your body does that uses energy. This might be as part of daily activities, as cleaning, or doing exercise. Exercise is also a physical activity that we tend to do intentionally. Our bodies and our minds are connected, so looking after ourselves physically also helps us prevent problems with our mental health.
Exercise releases “feel good” hormones, that reduce feelings of stress and anger. Among the hormones released during exercise, dopamine, serotonin and endorphin are responsible for the pleasurable sensation. It also helps us feel better about our bodies. It can improve our sleep too. If it involves other people, like being part of a team, a class or group we see regularly, that can also boost our mental health.
The mental health and wellbeing benefits of moving more include: