The Benefits of Movement

Note the word movement and not exercise.

The focus for mental wellness and health is moving frequently throughout the day. Yes, there are guidelines on having a raised heart rate and number of minutes doing this that and the other, whihc are super mega important and should be incoporated daily into your meaningful activities.

What's the recommended amount of movement and what should you be doing?

Specifically, the World Health Organization (2022) state the follong for an adult of working age:

• should do at least 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity

• or at least 75–150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity

• should also do muscle-strengthening activities at moderate or greater intensity that involve all major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week

• all adults should limit the amount of time spent being sedentary - the dangerous side effects of a sendentry lifestyle is not only to your physical health (internal organs) but your mental health too.

Be honest with your fitness and movement level.

If you doing pretty much nothing at all most of the day everyday because you work from home and your weekend/free time activities are TV and gaming etc. It's unlikely you'll be that fit.

Sitting all day is causing us to be unhealthy in general - phyiscally, mentally, and emotionally. How are you able to have a good night's sleep and be refreshed on waking if you've pretty much been still all day?

Movement for mental wellness - start really small, it doesn't have to be much.

Walk outside around your local neighorhood for 20 minutes

Do you live near a park? Walk there for 20 minutes in your lunchbreak.

What local community groups are close to your area? Can you join them for their activities?

Spending time with others during movement or fitness is a great way to make new friends, stay motivated and improve your social networks. It isn't talked about enough (I don't think so anyway) but social networks are one of the key elements in mental wellness and health. Yes, improve yourself, but being too isolated isn't healthy either - we're social beings not lone wolves.

Are you interested in improving your fitness level? Would you like to take up exercise?

Can you join a gym? Try it for two weeks and see what you like. It doesn't have to be weights, just attend the fitness classes, or use the pool. Bonus if there is a sauna there too.

Is there a past fitness hobby you used to enjoy, cycling, running, yoga, Pilates? Schedule just one session.

Try any kind of gentle movement for 1-2 weeks and see how you feel - ensure you schedule the sessions, it's very easy to have other "stuff" get in the way and put movement at the bottom of your priority list.

If you've just lost your 'mojo' for movement - schedule one class/session/event, see if that brings movement back into your life as a priority.

New Step Goal

The goal of moving 10,000 steps a day is too much for some. We have full-time jobs, family commitments. You could start with 2000 steps - there's loads of fitness tracker apps available for free nowadays, have you tried one and monitored your steps even for one week?

Could you monitor your steps for one month and see if there are patterns to your movement habits? What is it telling you?

Even the slightest increase in movement per day can do wonders for your mental wellness and health and sleep.

Regular movement becomes a habit, which will likely lead into a regular exercise regime. You are in control here.

Your mental wellness and overall health is the most important thing you'll ever have to look after and take responsibility for. You can't show up and look after others if you are not taking care of yourself.

Let me know what movement you tried for the first time or again.

Take care,

Mental Wellness & Health

References:

WHO (2022) Phyiscal Activity, Physical activity (who.int)