Exercise & Mental Health

A clear distinction is often made between ‘mind’ and ‘body’, but when considering mental health and physical health, the two should not be thought of as separate. Regular exercise can boost your self-esteem and can help you concentrate, sleep, and look and feel better.

Exercise keeps the brain and your other vital organs healthy, and is also a significant benefit towards improving your mental health.

According to a recent report from UKActive, physical activity is proved to reduce lifetime risk of disease, improved psychology and social wellbeing. Poor physical health can lead to an increased risk of developing mental health problems. Similarly, poor mental health can negatively impact on physical health, leading to an increased risk of some conditions.

I encourage everyone to do some regular exercise and, remember, exercising does not just mean doing sport or going to the gym. Walks in the park, gardening or housework can also keep you active. Experts say that most people should do about 30 minutes’ exercise at least five days a week.

I’m a keen runner and have completed the London Marathon twice, but whatever exercise you do you are more likely to do it regularly if you enjoy it and it is part of your day.

It is great that LAMP will have a team of runners in the Run for All Leicester 10k on 9 September this year, and I wish them success, but more importantly, I hope that they enjoy the training and the run