Looking for that push to get back to the gym, or focus more on your well-being?
As cliche as it sounds, getting up and moving around is one of the most impactful things you can do for not just your physical health, but for your mental health.
Over the last few years, we’ve found it more important than ever to look after our bodies and minds. Today, with the cost of living crisis and a potential recession on the horizon, being kind to ourselves and looking after our mental health is one of the most important things we can do.
And it’s not just “common knowledge”, there is extensive science to back up the benefits of staying active for your mental health:
- The average person has 3.4 “poor mental health” days every month, but among those who exercise regularly, the number of poor mental health days dropped by more than 40%.
- Studies show that there is approximately a 20% to 30% lower risk of depression for adults participating in daily physical activity.
- Any exercise is better than none, but experts recommend adults should be active most days, aiming for a total of 2.5-5 hours of moderate physical activity, or 1.25-2.5 hours of vigorous physical activity per week.
- Importantly, that exercise doesn’t need to be structured, difficult or leave you tired out after in order to have mental benefits.
At MYP, we’re passionate about helping our community feel better and be healthier, regardless of how you choose to do it! We’re big proponents of progressive health and well-being, which means we look at exercise, diet, movement, community, mental health and physical health a bit more broadly and holistically!
Why is Progressive Health and well-being so Good for our Mental Health?
Almost all of us remember being forced to go for a run in PE, join the football team instead of the netball team, or stick with ballet even though all you really wanted was to hit the treadmill!
Progressive health and well-being is focused on improving our relationship with exercise and helping us tackle fundamental issues so that we can confidently and comfortably live more healthy lives!
All too often as adults, the only way we think we can be healthy is by hitting the gym at least 3 times a week and eating out as little as possible, but for most people, that just isn’t fun, and simply isn’t feasible either.
There is also an increased emphasis on mental health and how yoga, HIIT, and other practices can benefit people in ways that are more than just physical. After all, a person’s mental health can influence every aspect of their life and prevent them from doing things that will benefit them. People can see the benefits of good health and well-being when they tie them together through progressive health and well-being programs, and that’s what we want to help promote at MYP.
The Big Benefits
As well as the physical benefits of exercise, looking at health and well-being more progressively has a range of other important bonuses!
Training the brain
The benefits of exercise extend not only to encouraging the brain to release endorphins but also to increasing the size of the hippocampus, the area of the brain that controls memory. Our brains are also protected against injury and mental illness by more connections between neurons.
A natural energy source
Over time, exercise becomes a natural way to increase your energy levels. This fights against the draining effects that mental health problems can cause and puts you in the best place to tackle them.
Goal-setting and achieving
Especially if it’s an activity you’re passionate about, exercise helps us set manageable goals and gives us feelings of accomplishment and self-worth!
Settling your sleep pattern
If you struggle to get to sleep or have a restful night, relaxing your muscles and tiring yourself out might be really beneficial to you! Poor sleep can be a massive trigger for mental health problems, so getting that shuteye can help improve your mood massively.
Avoiding isolation
Exercise can be a fantastic way to connect with the people around you and local communities. Depression, anxiety and other mental health struggles are exacerbated by isolation and can be triggered by them too, so getting out and about with others is a great thing to do.
Breaking negative thought patterns
Having our thoughts occupy our minds for too long can be detrimental to our mental health. As a coping mechanism, exercise can help you break the chains of negative thoughts by giving you something else to focus on.
Creating an outlet for frustrations
The ability to express frustration in a healthy way can ensure your health and relationships are not affected. Exercise can help you calm down and reduce frustration by releasing serotonin, endorphins and other feel-good chemicals.
Some Of The Best Progressive Health And Wellbeing Clubs In Manchester
We know the importance of progressive health and well-being, but actually putting those principles into practice isn’t always easy!
That’s why we’ve compiled a list of our favourite gyms, schemes, and health clubs in Manchester. These organisations all focus on progressive health and well-being and allow you to try different types of exercise, work out with a community and improve your mental health:
- Inclusivity and community with high-intensity is the name of the game at TRIB3, who offer group workouts tracked and shown in real-time for a connected experience.
- If you’re looking for a more challenging low-impact workout, SculptInHaus pilates might be right for you.
- Everything is about fun and expert group coaching to build your confidence at M3 Perform.
- Lifestyle Fitness has some of the widest variety of classes in the city – from yoga to boxing and weight training to ballet.
- Feel Good Club is one of the city’s most recognisable names when it comes to positive vibes and mental health advice.
- For a ‘social’ workout join us at the MYP Run Club.
- For more support with your mental health, contact Manchester Mind.
Want To Learn More Or Offer Tips? Get In Touch
At MYP, we’re passionate about finding ways we can help our community of professionals in their 20s and 30s. We love connecting, interacting and helping each other get on, and we’d love for you to join us!
