Health News Articles
Why it is so important to stay healthy during lockdown.
· It is important to be active every day. The Government recommends 60 minutes of moderate exercise a day.
· Exercise has been proven to boost academic performance
· Sleep! It makes you more productive and boosts mental health. Aim for at least 8 hours a night in regular patterns.
· Screen time will be essential to continued learning but should be balanced. Take regular breaks.
· Exercise releases endorphins which can improve mental wellbeing and immune health.
Sport Psychology: Dealing with Lockdown
An interesting listen as leading sport psychologist talks about dealing with lockdown from the perspective of both a player and a coach.
The brain changing effects of exercise
How regular exercise can boost intelligence, memory and brain function.
Snack on exercise
In as little as four, one-minute bursts per day, you could reduce your chance of disease and depression
How physical activity helps mental health
There are various ways that physical activity helps mental health, including:
Improved mood
Studies show that physical activity has a positive impact on our mood. One study asked people to rate their mood after a period of exercise (i.e. walking or gardening) and after inactivity (i.e. reading a book). Researchers found that people felt more awake, calmer and more content after physical activity.
For more information about the study, please see the Mental Health Foundation website.
Reduced stress
Being regularly active is shown to have a beneficial impact on alleviating stress. It can help manage stressful lifestyles and can help us make better decisions when under pressure.
Research on working adults shows that active people tend to have lower stress rates compared to those who are less active.
Increased self-esteem
Physical activity has a big impact on our self-esteem – that’s how we feel about ourselves and our perceived self-worth.
This is a key indicator of mental wellbeing. People with improved self-esteem can cope better with stress and improves relationships with others.
Depression and anxiety
Exercise has been described as a “wonder drug” in preventing and managing mental health. Many GPs now prescribe physical activity for depression, either on its own or together with other treatments.
It’s effective at both preventing onset of depression and managing symptoms.