Be Active

Finding ways you enjoy to move your body!

Many people find that physical activity helps them maintain positive mental health.

Being active isn’t about being fit.

Being active doesn’t have to mean running marathons or training every day at the gym. There are lots of different things you can do to be a bit more active and take care of your body. Studies have shown that getting active can help you sleep better and have happier moods. It can also reduce feelings of stress, depression, anxiety and racing thoughts.

Some Ideas You Could Try

Go for a walk

Human beings evolved to move, but our modern lifestyles mean many of us are less active than our bodies were designed for. Don’t worry if you aren’t sporty – you don’t need to be! One of the simplest ways of being physically active is to take a brisk walk. Try to notice your surroundings while you’re walking. What can you feel, see, smell, hear?

Simple Stretches

By stretching your muscles, blood flow increases to your muscles and joints, allowing you to be more physically active. Stretching also offers us a moment of self-care when we can become really present with our bodily sensations without judgment.

Being more flexible reduces your risk of getting injured too. This is because your muscles and joints can move more easily, and your balance is better meaning you’re less likely to fall over and hurt yourself. 

There are many ways to do stretching exercises, but the easiest and simplest are ‘static stretches’. This is when you stand, sit or lie in a still position while you stretch different parts of your body.

Some Simple Stretching Exercises

Less Sitting More Dancing

When we are busy, sat at our computers all day, or we’re experience low wellbeing, it can be easy to spend hours per day sitting down, perhaps going straight from our desks to our sofa and then bed. Research shows that sitting for long periods each day, over time, can be detrimental to our psychological health as well as our physical wellbeing, even if we exercise. So, as well as exercising regularly, we need to incorporate many moments of movement over the course of our days. You could use the time waiting for the kettle to boil to do a few squats or why not try putting on one of your favourite songs and moving your body however feels good for you?

Want some support to become more active?

If you’re new to getting active it can feel a bit scary! Sport England have put together some great top tips to help you get started and feel the physical and mental benefits that even small increases in movement can bring.

Support for Getting Active