Running & Mental Health

Mental Health is defined as “a state of well-being in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.”

(World Health Organisation)

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At Pink Plodders we are proud to be listed with England Athletics, having Claire as a Mental Health Ambassador

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England Athletics, supported by Mind the mental health charity, have today launched a Mental Health Ambassador programme.

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The programme aims to establish a network of volunteer ambassadors in affiliated running clubs and groups across England to support those of us who are experiencing mental health problems. Support includes helping people to start running, get back into running, or continue running as well as to improve the mental wellbeing of their existing members.

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The programme links to #runandtalk, an England Athletics campaign to improve mental health through

running in England by:

 getting people talking about mental health, sharing their experiences and removing stigma

 raising awareness of mental health problems

 supporting people experiencing mental health problems to be physically active through running start, return to and continue running

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Good mental health isn’t just the absence of mental health problems. Individuals with

good mental health:

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• Develop emotionally, creatively, intellectually and spiritually

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• initiate, develop and sustain mutually satisfying personal relationships

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• face problems, resolve them and learn from them

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• are confident and assertive

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• are aware of others and empathise with them

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• use and enjoy solitude

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• play and have fun

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• laugh, both at themselves and at the world

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Mental health problems can affect the way you think, feel and behave. They affect around one in four people in Britain, and range from common mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety, to rarer problems such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. A

mental health problem can feel just as bad, or worse, as any other physical illness – only you cannot see it.

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Mental illness is the single largest cause of disability in the UK and accounts for one third of all illnesses. It is also the largest cost to the NHS at £10.4 billion (10.8% of the NHS budget).

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Mental health conditions do not discriminate – they affect people of all ages, genders, sexualities and ethnic groups. They do not care if you are rich, poor, successful, married or single– they really can affect any one of us.

 

Physical activity and sport have a wide range of health benefits – for your mind as well as

your body. Mental health benefits include:

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Reduced anxiety and happier moods. When you exercise, your brain chemistry changes through the release of endorphins (sometimes called ‘feel good’ hormones), which can calm anxiety and lift your mood.

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Reduced feelings of stress. You may experience reductions in feelings of stress and tension as your body is better able to control cortisol levels.

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Clearer thinking. Some people find that exercise helps to break up racing thoughts. As your body tires so does your mind, leaving you calmer and better able to think clearly.

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A greater sense of calm. Simply taking time out to exercise can give you space to think things over and help your mind feel calmer.

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Increased self-esteem. When you start to see your fitness levels increase and your body improve, it can give your self-esteem a big boost. The sense of achievement you get from learning new skills and achieving your goals can also help you feel

better about yourself and lift your mood. Improved self-esteem also has a protective effect that increases life satisfaction and can make you more resilient to feeling stressed.

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Reduced risk of depression. If you're more active there’s good evidence to suggest that at most ages, for both men and women, there's a trend towards lower rates of depression. In fact, one study has found that by increasing your activity levels from

doing nothing to exercising at least three times a week, you can reduce your risk of depression by almost 20%.

Mind (Physical activity, sport and mental health)

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Useful resources for understanding mental health

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