Michelle Bridges: One ‘day’ a year isn’t enough for mental health
Talking about our wellbeing is one of the most important things we can do, but how does a tokenistic day once a year for mental health awareness help long-term, asks celebrity trainer Michelle Bridges.
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When it comes to our mental health, awareness days and weeks remind us to ‘check in’ on ourselves and our loved ones.
Seeing a social media post or reading a story online can be a good trigger for us to stop and pay attention to our own mental health, but what about when the buzz around crucial awareness campaigns pass and there are no external reminders to prioritise our mental health How do you keep your mental health, top of mind?
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Through my years of experience training many thousands of people to become fitter and healthier, I’ve learned that we need to prioritise our state of mind.
Think of your mind like a muscle that needs to be strengthened and exercised just like every muscle in your body.
One in five Australians will experience some form of mental illness each year. Almost half of the population will experience a mental health illness, like depression or anxiety, at some point in their life. It is an illness that we can’t see; it doesn’t discriminate and can quite often leave people suffering in silence. By prioritising our mental health, we can give ourselves the best chance to help manage it, should we find ourselves experiencing mental illness.
The great news is, mental health benefits piggy back on exercise, so while you’re exercising your physical body, you’re also boosting your mental health bank.
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Research by the Black Dog Institute confirms that just one hour of exercise a week can help protect you from developing depression. That hour can be all in one go, or it can be cumulative. For those of us who enjoy (and have the time for) banging out a daily 10km run or taking on an intense daily gym session, then go for it! For those who don’t have the luxury of time, and/or the physical or mental health to do that, carving out as little as 10-15 minutes each day to get physically active in whatever way you can is enough to help.
Just let that sink in — a walk around the block, squats as you unload the dishwasher, or even small seated or laying movements are enough to help protect against depression.
A lot in one block or little and often — it’s about doing what you can, and it can be positively life changing.
There are many other non-medical, holistic ways to keep your mental health topped up that many healthcare professionals are now turning to, collectively known as “social prescribing”. Things like art classes and gardening, as well as being an active part of a constructive community that has a collective goal.
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Having witnessed the power of community over the ten years that my online program 12WBT has been in existence I can personally attest to this.
Over and over again, my 12WBTers tell me how the online community support has helped them find their feet and reminded them that they are worthy of love and belonging, enabling them to climb out of depression and darkness.
As you finish reading this, why not take 10 minutes to do some level of movement to get your endorphins flowing and your positivity pulsing?
Zip outside and into the fresh air and do something fun. Or for those who find it difficult to get out of bed, why not start with seated or laying movements, such as having a stretch or using a can of food or a full water bottle for some gentle strength training? Remember, do what you can — it’s not a race, and it’s not a competition.
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Take a minute to reach out to your community — your family or friends, and connect. Let them know that they’re important to you and why, and you’ll boost your mood and theirs. Sometimes something as simple as saying “Thank you for being a light in my life, I appreciate you and my life is brighter for having you be part of it,” can make all the difference.
Michelle Bridges is personal trainer and an ambassador for the Black Dog Institute. Visit exerciseyourmood.org.au for further information about the link between exercise and mental health.
If you or someone you know is in need of assistance, help is available via Lifeline 13 11 14, the Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800, MensLine 1300 78 99 78 and the Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659.
Originally published as Michelle Bridges: One ‘day’ a year isn’t enough for mental health
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