Mental Health Awareness Week May 2024

This week, until 19th May, is Mental Health Awareness Week. The theme is moving more for your mental health.

It’s really important to find time for movement every day whether it’s doing more at home in your house or garden, taking the stairs instead of a lift, parking a little further away in a car park. Every extra bit of movement helps.

Set yourself small achievable goals like walking a little further than normal. Explore a new area, event or attraction where you won’t even notice your are moving more than usual.

Instead of letting others make you a drink or get something for you, go and get it yourself. Instead of piling up things for upstairs, at the bottom of the stairs until you next go up, go up now and put those things straight away.

Remind yourself of what made you move more in the past. Perhaps you were involved in a sport? Could you take it up again? Are there local groups you could join? Perhaps take up a new sport? These are great ways to move and perhaps even make new friends, both of which help our mental health.

Most of all have fun moving. Try to make things you must do more enjoyable. Perhaps put on some music and dance. Even if you dance whilst at home whilst doing chores it can make them more enjoyable. If you have family, get them involved, find the amusement in dancing to some of your favourite songs whilst hoovering or dusting! Have a laugh at yourself and with each other whilst doing it.

Image from Freepik

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