I think the majority of you are aware of the positive association between physical activity / exercise and mental well being. So rather than putting the large volume of research into my own words I thought you would like to hear it straight from the horse’s mouth. The following short article is collaboration of the following three pieces of published medical journals and free access articles: National Centre Biotechnology Information 2006; The Lancet 2018; International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity 2019.

I think the majority of you are aware of the positive association between physical activity / exercise and mental well being. So rather than putting the large volume of research into my own words I thought you would like to hear it straight from the horse’s mouth. The following short article is collaboration of the following three pieces of published medical journals and free access articles: National Centre Biotechnology Information 2006; The Lancet 2018; International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity 2019.

“Mental health is a worldwide public health concern. It is currently the largest single cause of disability in the UK representing an estimated 28% of the total disease burden (compared to 16% each for cancer and heart disease).

In this era of exponential growth of the metabolic syndrome, the medical term for a combination of diabetes, high blood pressure (hypertension) and obesity that put you at greater risk of getting coronary heart disease, stroke and other conditions, lifestyle modifications could be a cost effective way to improve health and quality of life.

An essential component of lifestyle modification is exercise. Aerobic exercise including jogging, swimming, cycling, walking, gardening, gym training and dancing have been proved to improve sleep, increase interest in sex, increase endurance, relieve stress, improve mood, increase energy and stamina, reduce weight, reduce cholesterol, improve cardiovascular fitness, reduce tiredness and increase mental alertness, self-esteem and cognitive function.  

Individuals in a study who exercised had 43.2% fewer days of poor mental health. All exercise types were associated with a lower mental health burden, with the largest reduction being team sports, cycling, aerobic and gym activities. Duration of 45 minutes and frequency ot three to five times a week had the most positive impact”.

As you can see physical activity has a large role to play in the maintenance and improvement of mental health. It doesn’t matter what you like to do or what you think you might like to do, simply follow the advice I give to many of my clients: JDI - Just Do It! But have fun doing so.