Small steps & giant leaps: Will Patchett on movement for mental health
Mental health should be something we’re always mindful of, but as you might have seen from this week’s posts, we’ve joined in marking Mental Health Awareness Week, a national initiative aimed at improving our mental health by deepening our understanding of mental health conditions and what can be done to combat these.
One of the simplest, but undoubtedly powerful means of doing so is simply to move. Yes – just to move – be that walking, running, cycling, dancing – indeed pretty much any other progressive verb. This is the aim of this year’s campaign, and whilst it’s a simple request, the consequences could be life changing. Believe me – I know.
For many people, there are two obstacles to moving more: firstly, the perceived difficulty, and second, the lack of time. These are absolutely valid concerns. However, I think there’s sometimes a tendency to associate exercise with the idea of Simon Pegg’s limping, sweating form as he battles to complete the London Marathon in Run Fat Boy, Run, or perhaps with having to join somewhere like Ben Stiller’s GloboGym in Dodgeball. No thanks. It might be owing to social media that we can develop this preconception about fitness and movement, as it’s often examples of the extreme that receive the most engagement. If you want to get up at 4AM and run like David Goggins is chasing you while I’m firmly still drooling onto my pillow, then go for it, if that’s what really floats your boat. ?
It doesn’t need to be quite so extreme, though, if that seems a little much. Everyone has different abilities, interests and time constraints, and it’s so important to tailor the movement you choose to do around these things – simply getting that little bit more active is what really matters. What form this takes is secondary, and by no means has to be formal exercise. Choose to take the stairs, if you can, rather than the lift, when in the office or out and about; play fetch with your dog in the garden; dance around the kitchen to Gary Davis’ Sounds of the 80’s on Radio 2.
It’s fair to say I’m a very active person, spending a good couple of hours in the gym pretty much every day, mostly weightlifting and doing cardio (NOT the rowing machine, however – the thought of even another second on that torturous little device still sends a shiver down my spine after completing an endurance challenge to fundraise for men’s mental health last November…) My routine might seem excessive, but this is what I enjoy, and the impact that it’s had on my mental health has been almost indescribable. To me, exercise is an outlet, a stress reliever. It’s control over anxiety. It’s a means to push my limits and test my mettle, and a means to literally invest in my own health and wellbeing. The hours put in pay dividends.?
My advice, though? No one need do what I do – or what anyone else does, for that matter. I’m very fortunate to have the time to spend in the gym that I do, and, as I’ve said above, it’s how I best like to spend my free time. Find something that makes you feel good, then enjoy the hell out of it. Walk. Run. Gary Davis. It doesn’t matter. Ignore the calories burned and focus instead on the endorphins. On the growing confidence. On the calm felt as you spend more time in nature. On how free you feel as you bop around to Spandau Ballet. I truly believe that a healthy body will follow a healthy mind.?
Chat to colleagues or friends about it, too, as they might be able to share tips that have worked for them as to how they got started or manage to fit exercise into their routine. I can only speak from my experience, of course, but much of what I’ve learned has come from others who’ve shared theirs. It’s something we can all help each other with.
I’d like to close this already rather waffly little oration by sharing an absolute gem of a website with you all, which I think could be really helpful in helping you move for your mental health. It’s called Fancy Free Walks, and it’s essentially a hub of over 500 wonderful walking routes throughout the Home Counties and beyond. There are many ways to get moving, all of them great, but there’s something about immersing yourself in the beautiful English countryside we’re so lucky to have around us that seems to usher in a calmness like nothing else. Taking advantage of this amazing resource is a great way of getting out there amongst nature, whether upon a well-trodden path or somewhere completely different. Don’t underestimate how powerful a tool this can be for both your physical and mental health.
You can click on the interactive map to explore a county in more detail, and you'll see it broken down into smaller areas. Clicking on any of these will bring up a list of all the walking routes you can discover there.
Helpfully, there's loads of practical information available on each route, including:
I hope some of you find this useful! Whether it’s through some wilderness walks, though, or something totally different, try and get moving – not just this week, but every week. What feels like only a few, small steps might be a huge leap for your mental health.
Will