Physical activity and well being
How does physical activity encourage positive mental health?
Research shows that being physically active encourages mental health. Physical activity can give you a sense of achievement, improve your self esteem and help you meet people. There is research to suggest that exercise has a certain effect on certain biochemicals that effect your mood and how we feel and exercise can sometimes be as effective as medication in treating anxiety or depression. It also gives you a good opportunity to meet people. Physical activity helps improve your overall health by reducing important factors that contribute to heart disease such as high blood cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and the risk of having a stroke.
Physical activity along with healthy diet, helps reduce stress and improves your overall feeling of well being and quality of life and helps you sleep well. It also reduces the risk of bowel cancer, osteoporsis and the risk of falling.
Physical activity can play a key role in helping people feel better. it can improve mood and reduce anxiety. It can both prevent and treat mental illness" Professor Louis Appleyby, National Director for Mental Health, Department of Health.
The recommended dose
For general health benefits, adults should achieve a total of at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity on 5 or more days of the week. Moderate intensity, physical activity is activity that makes you breathe harder than normal and feel warm, for example brisk walk, cycling and swimming.
The recommended levels of physical activity can be achieved either by doing all the daily activity at once or in shorter bouts of 10 minutes or more -you'll still get the same benefits. If you've not been activte for some time, it is important to start slowly and build up your level of activity gradually. If you have any particular concerns about your health and increasing your physical activity levels, speak to your GP or practise nurse who can advise.
Find out more about the importance of physical activity