There are many reasons why physical activity
is good for your body – having a healthy heart and improving your joints and
bones are just two, but did you know that physical activity is also beneficial
for your mental health and well being?
We need to change the way we view physical
activity in order not to see it as something we ‘have to do’, ‘should
do’ or ‘ought to do’ for our health, but as something that we do because we
personally value its positive benefits to our well being.
As part of our work to promote better mental
health, we have produced this pocket guide to show the positive impact that
physical activity can have on your own mental well being, including some tips
and suggestions to help you get started.
Being active doesn’t have to mean doing sport
or going to the gym. There are lots of ways to be active; find the one that
works for you and let’s all get physical!
"It is exercise alone
that supports the spirits, and keeps the mind in vigor." Marcus
Tullius Cicero
What is physical activity?
At a very basic level, physical activity
means any movement of your body that uses your muscles and expends energy.One of the great things about physical
activity is that there are endless possibilities and there will be an activity
to suit almost everyone!
It is recommended that the average adult
should do between 75 and 150 minutes of exercise a week. This can be either moderate
intensity exercise, such as walking, hiking or riding a bike, or it can be more
vigorous activities, such as running, swimming fast, aerobics or skipping with
a rope. Any activity that raises your heart rate, makes you breathe faster, and
makes you feel warmer counts towards your exercise!
An easy way to look at types of physical
activity is to put them into four separate categories.
Daily physical activity
For adults, physical activity can include
recreational or leisure-time physical activity,
transportation (e.g. walking or cycling),
occupational activity (i.e. work), household chores, play, games, sports, or
planned exercise in the context of daily, family, and community activities.
Everyday things such as walking to the bus
stop, carrying bags or climbing stairs all count, and can add up to the 150
minutes of exercise a week recommended for the average adult.
Exercise
Purposeful activity carried out to improve
health or fitness, such as jogging or cycling, or lifting weights to increase
strength.
Play
Unstructured activity that is done for fun or
enjoyment.
Sport
Structured and competitive activities that
include anything from football or squash to cricket. We can play these as part
of a team or even on our own. This can be a fun and interactive way of getting
exercise that doesn’t have to feel like exercising.
These activities can vary in intensity and
can include high-intensity activities, such as tennis, athletics, swimming, and
keep-fit classes, or they can be lower-intensity activities and sports, such as
snooker or darts.[6] Making exercise fun rather than
something you have to do can be a motivator to keep it up.[7]
What is well-being?
The government defines well being as ‘a
positive physical, social and mental state’.[8] For our purposes, we are focusing on
mental well being.
Mental well being does not have a single
universal definition, but it does encompass factors such as:
- The
sense of feeling good about ourselves and being able to function well
individually or in relationships
- The
ability to deal with the ups and downs of life, such as coping with
challenges and making the most of opportunities
- The
feeling of connection to our community and surroundings
- Having
control and freedom over our lives
- Having
a sense of purpose and feeling valued
Of course, mental well being does not mean
being happy all the time, and it does not mean that you won’t experience
negative or painful emotions, such as grief, loss, or failure, which are a part
of normal life. However, whatever your age, being physically active can help
you to lead a mentally healthier life and can improve your well being.
What impact does physical
activity have on well being?
Physical activity has a huge potential to
enhance our well being. Even a short burst of 10 minutes’ brisk walking increases our mental alertness, energy and positive mood.
Participation in regular physical activity
can increase our self-esteem and can reduce stress and anxiety. It also plays a role in preventing
the development of mental health problems and in improving the quality of
life of people experiencing mental health problems.
Impact on our mood
Physical activity has been shown to have a
positive impact on our mood. A study asked people to rate their
mood immediately after periods of physical activity (e.g. going for a walk or
doing housework), and periods of inactivity (e.g. reading a book or watching
television). Researchers found that the participants felt more content, more
awake and calmer after being physically active compared to after periods of
inactivity. They also found that the effect of physical activity on mood was greatest
when mood was initially low.
There are many studies looking at physical
activity at different levels of intensity and its impact on people’s mood.
Overall, research has found that low-intensity aerobic exercise – for 30–35
minutes, 3–5 days a week, for 10–12 weeks – was best at increasing positive
moods (e.g. enthusiasm, alertness).[
Impact on our stress
When events occur that make us feel
threatened or that upset our balance in some way, our body’s defenses cut in
and create a stress response, which may make us feel a variety of uncomfortable
physical symptoms and make us behave differently, and we may also experience
emotions more intensely.
The most common physical signs of stress
include sleeping problems, sweating, and loss of appetite. Symptoms like these are triggered
by a rush of stress hormones in our body – otherwise known as the ‘fight or
flight’ response. It is these hormones, adrenaline and nor adrenaline, which
raise our blood pressure, increase our heart rate and increase the rate at
which we perspire, preparing our body for an emergency response. They can also
reduce blood flow to our skin and can reduce our stomach activity, while Coriolis, another stress hormone, releases fat and sugar into the system to
boost our energy.
Physical exercise can be very effective in
relieving stress. Research on employed adults has found that highly active
individuals tend to have lower stress rates compared to individuals who are
less active.
Impact on our self-esteem
Exercise not only has a positive impact on
our physical health, but it can also increase our self-esteem. Self-esteem is
how we feel about ourselves and how we perceive our self-worth. It is a key
indicator of our mental well being and our ability to cope with life stressors.
Physical activity has been shown to have a
positive influence on our self-esteem and self-worth. This relationship has
been found in children, adolescents, young adults, adults and older people, and
across both males and females.
Dementia and cognitive
decline in older people
Improvements in healthcare have led to an
increasing life expectancy and a growing population of people over 65 years. Alongside this increase in life
expectancy, there has been an increase in the number of people living with
dementia and in people with cognitive decline.The main symptom of dementia is
memory loss; it is a progressive disease that results in people becoming more
impaired over time. Decline in cognitive functions,
such as attention and concentration, also occurs in older people, including
those who do not develop dementia. Physical activity has been identified as a
protective factor in studies that examined risk factors for dementia. For
people who have already developed the disease, physical activity can help to
delay further decline in functioning. Studies show that there is
approximately a 20% to 30% lower risk of depression and dementia for adults
participating in daily physical activity.Physical activity also seems to reduce
the likelihood of experiencing cognitive decline in people who do not have
dementia.
Impact on depression and
anxiety
Physical activity can be an alternative
treatment for depression. It can be used as a standalone
treatment or in combination with medication and/or psychological therapy. It has few side effects and does
not have the stigma that some people perceive to be attached to taking
antidepressants or attending psychotherapy and counselling.
Physical activity can reduce levels of
anxiety in people with mild symptoms and may also be helpful for
treating clinical anxiety. Physical activity is available to
all, has few costs attached, and is an empowering approach that can support
self-management.
How much physical activity
should I be doing?
We know all too well that that many people in
the UK do not meet the current physical activity guidelines.
With an average of only 65.5% of men and 54%
of women meeting the recommended physical activity levels in 2015,[34]it is important that more people are
given the knowledge and support they need to make physical activity a healthy
yet enjoyable part of life.
The Department of Health recommends that
adults should aim to be active daily and complete 2.5 hours of moderate
intensity activity over a week – the equivalent of 30 minutes five times a
week.[35] It may sound like a lot, but it
isn’t as daunting as it first appears, and we have lots of suggestions to help
you get started.
Where do I start?
Once you have decided that you want to be
more physically active, there are a few points worth thinking about. Apart from
improving your physical and mental wellbeing, what else do you want to get out
of being active?
Ask yourself whether you’d prefer being
indoors or out, doing a group or individual activity, or trying a new sport. If
you’re put off by sporty exercises, or feel uninspired at the thought of
limiting yourself to just one activity, think outside the box and remember that
going on a walk, doing housework, and gardening are all physical activities.
Also, would you rather go it alone or do an activity with a friend? Social
support is a great motivator, and sharing your experiences, goals and
achievements will help you to keep focus and enthusiasm.
Overcoming barriers
It can be a bit scary making changes to your
life, and most people get anxious about trying something new. Some common
barriers, such as cost, injury or illness, lack of energy, fear of failure, or
even the weather can hinder people from getting started; however, practical and
emotional support from friends, family and experts really does help.
Body image can act as a barrier to
participating in physical activity.[36] People who are anxious about how
their body will look to others while they are exercising may avoid exercise as
a result. For women, attending a female-only exercise class or a ladies-only
swimming session may help to overcome anxiety as a barrier to initially
starting to exercise.
Exercising with a companion can also help to
reduce anxiety about how your body looks to others, and may be particularly
helpful during the first few exercise sessions. The environment can also
influence how you feel; gyms with mirrored walls tend to heighten anxiety, as
does exercising near a window or other space where you might feel ‘on show’.
Make time
What time do you have available for exercise?
You may need to rejig commitments to make room for extra activities, or choose
something that fits into your busy schedule.
Be practical
Will you need support from friends and family
to complete your chosen activities, or is there a chance your active lifestyle
will have an impact on others in your life? Find out how much it will cost and,
if necessary, what you can do to make it affordable.
Right for you
What kind of activity would suit you best?
Think about what parts of your body you want to exercise and whether you’d
prefer to be active at home or whether you fancy a change of scenery and would
prefer to exercise in a different environment, indoors or outdoors.
Making it part of daily
life
Adopting a more active lifestyle can be as
simple as doing daily tasks more energetically or making small changes to your
routine, such as walking up a flight of stairs.
Start slowly
If physical activity is new to you, it’s best
to build up your ability gradually. Focus on task goals, such as improving
sport skills or stamina, rather than competition, and keep a record of your
activity and review it to provide feedback on your progress. There are many
apps and social networks accessible for free to help.
Goals
It’s really important to set goals to measure
progress, which might motivate you. Try using a pedometer or an app on your
smartphone to measure your speed and distance travelled, or add on an extra
stomach crunch or swim an extra length at the end of your session.
Remember, you won’t see improvement from
physical conditioning every day. Making the regular commitment to doing
physical activity is an achievement in itself, and every activity session can
improve your mood.
At home
There are lots of activities you can do
without leaving your front door and that involve minimal cost. It can be as
simple as pushing the mower with extra vigour, speeding up the housework, or
doing an exercise DVD in the living room.
At work
Whether you’re on your feet, sat at a desk or
sat behind the wheel during your working hours, there are many ways you can get
more active. Try using the stairs for journeys fewer than four floors, walking
or cycling a slightly longer route home, or using your lunch hour to take a
brisk walk, do an exercise class or go for a swim. The change of scenery will
do you good, too.
Out and about
Being out of doors is a prime time for
boosting your activity levels, and research suggests that doing physical
activity in an outdoor, ‘green’ environment has greater positive effects on
wellbeing compared to physical activity indoors.
Making small changes, from leaving the car at
home for short journeys or getting off the bus a stop earlier, to
higher-intensity activities like joining in with your children’s football game
or jogging with the dog, can help to boost your mood.
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