“The Mind and Body are not separate. What affects one, affects the other.”
The Mental Health Foundation want us 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 wellbeing.
Being active doesn’t mean you need to spend hours in the gym, if that doesn't appeal to you. Find physical activities that you enjoy and think about how to fit more of them into your daily life.
What is physical activity?
In simplistic terms, 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!
The Department of Health recommends that the average adult should do between 75 and 150 minutes of exercise a week. This can be moderate-intensity aerobic activity such as fast walking or cycling. Find activities that you enjoy, then make them a part of your life. Making exercise fun rather than something you have to do can be a motivator to keep it up.
What is wellbeing?
The government defines wellbeing as ‘a positive physical, social and mental state’. For our purposes, we are focusing on mental wellbeing.
Mental wellbeing 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 wellbeing 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 wellbeing.
What impact does physical activity have on wellbeing?
Physical activity has a huge potential to enhance our wellbeing. 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.
Physical Activity can:
- Have a positive impact on our mood.
- Reduce our stress levels.
- Have a positive impact on our self-esteem and self-worth.
- Be identified as a protective factor in studies that examined risk factors in dementia and help to delay further decline in functioning.
- Reduce the likelihood of experiencing cognitive decline.
- Be an alternative treatment to depression; either stand alone or in combination with medication and/or psychological therapy.
- Reduce levels of anxiety.
How much physical activity should I be doing?
Many people in the UK do not meet the current physical activity guidelines.
It is recommended 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. It may sound like a lot, but it isn’t as daunting as it first appears. There's lots of information and advice on NHS Choices to help you get active.
- Find activity ideas in Get fit for free.
- Start running with our Couch to 5K podcasts.
- Find out how to start running, swimming, cycling and dancing in Exercise: getting started.
- There is lots more information and advice on getting active in Health and fitness.
Your brain loves physical activity. Whether that be in a gym, a sidewalk, a pool or even your back garden. Here’s the science of what happens in your brain when you exercise:
- Endorphins are released, dulling the sensation of pain.
- Serotonin is released, enhancing mood.
- Blood flow to the brain increases, delivering more oxygen and nutrients and improving waste removal.
- Dopamine is released, improving motivation, focus and learning.
- Norepinephrine is released, improving attention, perception and motivation.
- Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is released, protecting and repairing neurons from injury and degeneration.
- Hormones combine with BDNF to grow brain cells, regulate mood and provide mental clarity.
- The hippocampus, a part of the brain concerned with learning and memory, grows in size with regular exercise over time.
As Buddha rightly mentioned, “to keep the body in good health is a duty, otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear”.
