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Moving Towards Mental Wellness
For 23 years we have been observing Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK, with the aims of raising awareness and promoting the importance of mental health and wellbeing. The theme for 2024 is “movement: moving more for mental health”, providing a great opportunity for open discussions around mental health.
The Link Between Mental and Physical Health
When it comes to our overall wellbeing, the connection between mental and physical health is undeniable. Taking a holistic approach that addresses both the mind and body is essential.
Numerous studies have demonstrated the many ways in which our mental state can impact our physical functions, and vice versa. Conditions like depression, anxiety and chronic stress have been linked to a heightened risk of physical ailments such as heart disease, diabetes, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and chronic pain.
At the same time, engaging in regular physical activity has been shown to significantly boost mood, reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, and improve cognitive function. By nurturing both the mind and body, we can experience the benefits of a better all-around sense of wellbeing, vitality and resilience.
They can also go hand by hand; meaning that if, for example, you are feeling depressed you are less likely to exercise. Or the more you feel good within yourself, the most likely you are to exercise.
A recent review study published in 2023(*), explains the role of physical activity on mental health and well-being. It discuss how physical activity has a positive impact on a number of common ailments and conditions such as sleep, depression, anxiety, schizophrenia and alcohol dependence.
Different ways in which Movement can help with your mental health
Engaging in physical activity, whether it’s a brisk walk, a yoga session, or a dance class, releases endorphins, the body’s natural mood elevators. These neurotransmitters not only alleviate stress but also enhance feelings of happiness and well-being. Regular exercise has been linked to improved sleep quality, reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression, and enhanced cognitive function.
Another benefit of movement is its ability to boost self-esteem and confidence. Achieving fitness goals, no matter how small or big, can give a sense of accomplishment, which can translate to other areas of life.
QCH And Movement for Mental Health
QCH Therapy empowers individuals to explore and transform their relationship with movement. Whether by addressing subconscious barriers to exercise, enhancing motivation, or promoting a positive self-image. QCH Therapy provides a holistic framework, speaking from the individual’s frame of reference (their language and way they view the World) to provide personalised and unique support.
It doesn’t just address surface-level symptoms, it goes deep into the root causes of mental health challenges, supporting individuals to be able to move forward, offering lasting change, whilst cultivating resilience and well-being. Through this cutting-edge therapeutic approach, individuals can unlock their potential to embrace movement as a source of joy, vitality, and mental clarity, ultimately contributing to a more fulfilling and balanced life.
Nature and sense of connection
One particularly powerful form of movement that nurtures mental wellness is spending time outdoors. Nature offers a calming environment that soothes the mind and can be grounding, which has multiple benefits for our mental health. Whether it’s just a stroll through the local park or practicing some sort of physical activity in your back garden, it provides a profound sense connection and the feeling of being linked to something bigger than us. This connection with the natural world can be a potent antidote to the stresses of modern life.
As a QCH Therapist, I have worked with people struggling in many different ways, such as anxiety or low mood, who would avoid movement or find it difficult to get started. In some cases, they needed to feel a little more confident about themselves to feel ready to move their body. In other cases, just getting “through it” and doing some sort of physical exercise was enough to begin noticing the possibilities now open to them. As we like to say, anything more than nothing is something.
Walk & talk therapy has been around for a very long time, even Sigmund Freud (father of psychoanalysis) has recorded that walking with patients helped them to think clearly and open up. Since the COVID 19 pandemic, walk & talk therapy has become more popular. It can be a great way to combine the power of moving your body while working with a professional therapist.
Time for you
I want to gift you, during this time, right now, while you read these words, the opportunity to reflect on this question: what does movement mean to your mental health? For each person it will be different, for some it might mean connection with nature, for others some sort of health improvement, for others a shift in the way they were feeling before moving that same day. It matters that during the next few seconds or minutes you explore this idea. Because then, you might begin to notice how it’s not just you benefiting from the impact movement has, but how it also impacts the people around you.
In conclusion, as research studies have proven, our mental health can be positively affected through our physical activity. The simple act of engaging in physical movement can have a positive impact, even without taking into account the type of exercise in itself. The effectiveness of QCH therapy relies on empowering individuals to undo the underlying beliefs, emotions, and patterns that shape their experiences and behaviours, to help them live their lives in the best possible way for them.
Want to know how QCH Therapy can help you? Find your QCH Therapist here now.
(*)Mahindru A, Patil P, Agrawal V. Role of Physical Activity on Mental Health and Well-Being: A Review. Cureus. 2023 Jan 7;15(1):e33475. doi: 10.7759/cureus.33475. PMID: 36756008; PMCID: PMC9902068.
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By Laura Abbatangelo: Quest Cognitive Hypnotherapist & Mindset Coach
Laura is a QCH Therapist, Master NLP Practitioner & Coach. She works with adults looking to feel better specialising in the treatment of IBS symptoms, anxiety and low confidence. She has also been working, for over half a decade, to improve the lives of people becoming parents.
Website: https://www.baremind.net
IG: @laura__therapist
FB: BaremindTherapy
