Moving For Your Mind.
Looking after your mental health is an ongoing commitment. At FAT, fitness is our core but connection and community will always be a priority. Following on from Mental Health Awareness Week, we have reflected on the growing number of initiatives to help Kiwis look after their mental well-being. Fitness All Together knows that physical activity can be part of the solution for improving your well-being and we aim to help people build a positive relationship with movement.
Movement is a powerful tool for building both mental and physical resilience. Social isolation, change and daily stressors all challenge our resilience and for the majority of people our day to day lives have become increasingly sedentary, which has been shown to negatively affect mental health. People who do at least 2.5 hours of recreational physical activity each week have a 51% higher chance of good mental wellbeing and participation in at least 4.5 hours per week increases the odds to 65%.
Remember movement doesn’t need to be high intensity; walking, yoga, social sports and meditation have all been shown to reduce stress levels, prevent depressive symptoms and increase mood-boosting endorphins. Incorporating fresh air and sunlight exposure in your routine will boost both vitamin D and serotonin levels, the ‘happy’ hormones responsible for making us feel good. We take as many of our workouts as possible outdoors, giving you one more opportunity within your day to take in fresh air and see the sun. This is especially important if your work is office based as excessive exposure to artificial light has been shown to disrupt sleep patterns and weaken your immune system.
Community based interactions act as a protective measure for mental well-being. As our business continues to grow we are creating more opportunities for our community to move differently and connect in meaningful ways.
Recent events include:
- Community Service Running and Meditation
- FAT Gives Back
- Down To Earth - with local charity Neighbourhood
- Sunrise Yoga
All of these events bring people together in an inclusive environment where everyone is welcome. They give you the opportunity to interact with people while exploring new types of movement.
We recognise that poor mental health can present itself in subtle ways and want to encourage people to take a proactive approach to strengthening their physical and mental well-being. Our daily habits are the first place we can turn to when trying to make positive and impactful changes to our mental health. Building daily movement, social connection and fresh air into your routine is a great place to start. To hear more about any of our workouts or upcoming community events, feel free to reach out to sam@fitnessalltogether.co.nz