“Regular exercise may help prevent and treat mental health conditions, as well as reducing the risk of developing depression and dementia as you get older.” As a focus for Mens Health Week we will be diving into the benefits of physical activity for Mens Health.

Introduction

Work, rest, train, feed, sleep, repeat. The endless cycle can be tough. Throw a couple of kids in there, some resemblance of social life with a high pressure job and you’ve got yourself a recipe for stress and rundown. While Aussie men are more inclined to visit the gym to destress, there’s one major muscle we often neglect – our brain. Over the past few years, a spate of mental health initiatives have sprung up, aimed at curbing the disproportionate rates of youth suicide and mental health concerns in Aussie Men but as we’ve all come to learn it’s not always easy to reach out for help.

Benefits of exercise for Mens Mental Health:

• May reduce anxiety and creates a happier mood

• Encourages social interactions when joining group activities

• Helps to improve sleep

• Improves your self-confidence

• Gives you a goal to strive for

• May reduce stress levels

• Allows for calmer thinking patterns

• Allows you to concentrate for longer periods

• Improves your physical health, potentially replacing behaviours that are bad for your long-term physical health, e.g. smoking/alcohol

• Provides new experiences, and a distraction from negative thoughts

• Gives you a feeling of stronger resilience.

  What are the facts?

  According to the World Health Organization:

  • Patients with type II diabetes are twice as likely to experience depression as the general population.

  • Up to 50 percent of cancer patients suffer from a mental illness, especially depression and anxiety, and treating symptoms of depression in cancer patients may improve survival time.

  • In patients who are depressed, the risk of having a heart attack is more than twice as high as in the general population

  • Treating the symptoms of depression after a heart attack has been shown to lower both mortality and re-hospitalization rates.

    Fortunately, exercise is a great way to improve both your physical and mental health.

    Practice Mindfullness.

  • Each day on the way to work think of 3 things you are greatful for. This could be materalistic things, emotional things or anything you wish. Tomorrow think of another 3. You will be surprised how this can shift your mindset and bring on that brighter side of life.

    “Weaving a 5-10 minute of mindfulness meditation into your schedule as well as looking at more informal ways to bring mindfulness into your day – such as when brushing your teeth or walking the dog – will helps to build a regular habit, without a huge time commitment.”

  • Sleep quality – are you getting enough sleep (ideally we all need 7-9 hours per night) to function well? The 2020 Smiling Mind State of Mind Survey found that men reported sleep as the biggest barrier to their mental health.