Mindful Fitness: The best exercises for your mental health

There’s no shame in having a bad mental health day. You’re not alone either - 1 in 8 men in the UK struggle with the difficult symptoms of depression and anxiety on a regular basis. Exercise can be hugely helpful when trying to find that comfortable balance inside your head. Here’s a few examples of the best exercises you can do to improve your mental wellbeing.

Walking

Let’s start with the easy one. To put it simply - sitting inside all day can be detrimental to your mental health. Everybody should take the time out for a stroll for at least 30 minutes a day, especially when working from home. This will make sure you’re achieving at least the minimum amount of exercise you should be getting daily. Change up your daily route and you’ll end up discovering and exploring places around your home you didn’t know existed either. 

Boxing

Setting up some sparring sessions at your local gym is fantastic for getting some of that spare energy and frustration out in a totally safe way. Contact your local gym and enquire about any boxing classes currently available or even get yourself a punchbag for the house. A consistent boxing routine can really help your mental health if you’re struggling with feelings of frustration or anxiety.

Yoga

We know what you’re thinking - star-sign fiends and baggy clothing. We say ignore the stereotypes and get down to your local yoga classes. Yoga is primarily focused on relaxing the mind through stretching poses and it’s actually more challenging than you might think! The benefits for your mental state are huge and you’ll improve your flexibility too. 

Dancing

We’ve all been desperate for a good boogie during lockdown. With clubs still closed and pubs not allowing standing, it doesn’t look like we’ll get a chance anytime soon. We recommend getting some mates together in the park, bring a speaker and pretend you’re hitting the dance floor. Not only are you getting exercise, dancing has been proven to really improve your mental health.

Swimming

Jumping in your local pool for a few lengths can have a drastic impact on your mental well being. Gliding through the water is a great way to refresh your mind, while also being brilliant for your breathing. Start off slow and gradually set yourself targets and you can keep to a challenging routine.

Always remember - feeling enthusiastic about your activity is really important if you’re exercising for your mental health. If you try a few of these out and find you’re not a fan - no worries. Finding the activity that ticks all your boxes will have a massive impact on your state of mind.

All of our blog articles are reviewed by our Medical Director before publication.