Move More, Feel Better

Mental Health Awareness Week is a moment for all of us to stop, reflect, and have honest conversations about how we are really doing. This year, we want to talk about something that is backed by science, championed by charities, and yet still underused as a tool for mental wellbeing: physical activity.

What the Research Tells Us

The connection between moving your body and improving your mood is not just anecdotal. It is well-evidenced. Mind, one of the UK's leading mental health charities, highlights that physical activity can help with mild to moderate depression, anxiety, and stress, sometimes as effectively as medication or talking therapies for certain people. The Mental Health Foundation similarly notes that regular physical activity is associated with lower rates of depression and anxiety, and improved overall well-being (woo)!

Exercise triggers the release of endorphins, the brain's natural feel-good chemicals. It also reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol, improves sleep quality, and gives a sense of achievement and structure to the day. These are not small things. For many people, they are genuinely life-changing.

You Do Not Have to Run a Marathon!!

One of the biggest barriers people face is thinking that exercise has to be intense or time-consuming to count. It really does not. A 20-minute walk in a green space, a swim, or even dancing around your kitchen all contribute to your mental health in meaningful ways.

Mind encourages people to think about 'green exercise', which is simply being active outdoors in nature. Studies show this can have an even greater positive effect on mood and self-esteem than exercising indoors. A park, a canal path, a beach, or even a garden all count.

The Barrier Is Real, But So Is the Reward

It is worth acknowledging that when you are struggling with your mental health, the last thing you might feel like doing is exercising. Low motivation, fatigue, and low mood can make even getting off the sofa feel like a mountain. This is completely understandable, and it is important to be kind to yourself.

But here is what many people find: the hardest part is simply starting. Even a five-minute walk can shift how you feel. And once you do it a few times, it becomes something you turn to rather than avoid. The reward on the other side of the resistance is real.

I get it, though... the hardest part is starting. But, if you're here reading this. I promise you, you're strong enough to start. 

Building It Into Your Everyday Life

The Mental Health Foundation (and I) recommends finding activities you genuinely enjoy, because you are far more likely to stick to them. It might be cycling, swimming, a fitness class, football with friends, or walking the dog. What matters is that it gets you moving and, ideally, gets you away from screens and into the world for a bit.

If you are not sure where to start, try committing to just 10 minutes a day for a week. That is it. Notice how you feel before and after. For most people, that small shift is enough to build from.

Looking After Your Mind Starts With Your Body

Mental health is not separate from physical health. They are deeply connected, and how we treat our bodies has a direct impact on how we feel in our minds. This Mental Health Awareness Week, we encourage you to try adding a little more movement into your day, not as a cure-all, but as one genuinely powerful tool in your mental health toolkit.

If you are struggling, please reach out. Your GP, Mind (mind.org.uk), and the Mental Health Foundation (mentalhealth.org.uk) all have brilliant resources to help you find support that works for you.

Our biggest recommendation is ready out to a friend, and get exercising in the green space!!

Our DMs are also always open - we're not therapy but we'll direct you to support!

Stay healthy, stay active!
See you soon,

Meg x