ANNIE DEADMAN IS HERE TO HELP YOU, THE EASY WAY!
How exercise can help your mental health
We’re constantly told that being active is good for our physical health. It reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer and other illnesses. My mum died from a stroke and my dad from bowel cancer, so I’m not stopping my exercise routine any time soon! But what can movement do for our mind? A study by a group of Australian academics* concluded that in 12 weeks, ‘physical activity interventions can significantly reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety’ and went on to say it can be more effective than either counselling or antidepressant medication. That takes some believing, but let’s give it serious thought – let’s think about happiness.
We can’t all be happy all the bloomin’ time. It’s just not realistic. Feeling OK and average are perfectly fine, but if those feelings are tinged with even the slightest sense of low self-worth, reduced self-esteem, loneliness or depression, then simple walking for 30 minutes a day is going to give your mind (and your body!) a huge boost.
Dopamine, serotonin and noradrenaline are important hormones, which are positively affected by exercise. Low levels are linked to depression, sadness and negative behaviours, but strength-training, in particular, will nudge those hormones up to levels that will help a glint of sunshine to appear.
Working from home is great for practical reasons, but can bring with it feelings of isolation, so a group exercise activity, two to three times a week, will raise spirits, heart rate and – with a bit of luck – your muscle tone.
If I’m sounding flippant, I don’t mea
