Research indicates that people who exercise on a regular basis have better mental health and emotional well-being. So why are you sitting there?!

Exercise, as we know, is great for our physical health. It helps to keep our hearts in good shape and our weight under control. In general, we are lowering the overall risk of heart disease. However, being active has a knock on affect that is often overlooked as it is also a powerful mood booster and stress buster.

Working out doesn’t only exercise the body it also lowers the stress hormone cortisol, which in turn helps relieve feelings of anxiety. It encourages the brain to release endorphins and serotonin which are often referred to as the bodies’ feel-good chemicals because of the positive impact on mental health. So it is easy to see how exercise is not only helping you keep physically fit but also having a positive effect on your mental health.

Sleep

By exercising regularly the likelihood is that you will sleep better. Poor sleep quality and mood disorders have been closely linked. Sleeping well boosts cognition because your body works to support healthy brain function while you sleep.

Self-esteem

People who are active often report feeling a sense of achievement which in turn increases their self-esteem. When we make new year’s resolutions and stick to them this gives us a sense of empowerment and control over our lives with an increased ability to cope.

Social benefits

Not only does exercise give you the chance to try new experiences such as walking, gym, cycling and dance classes, it provides the perfect opportunity to socialise and meet new friends. When meeting new people and experiencing new situations, the mood is enhanced accordingly.

Energy boost.

Being more active increases your fitness and your energy levels and this also has the positive impact on your mental well-being.

Don’t be put off.

When you think of exercise you probably have a vision of working out in the sweaty gym toiling away! However, research has indicated that just 30 minutes of moderate to intensive working out each day can provide significant benefits to overall well-being. So forget the gym, put on the walking shoes and go for a quarter of an hours walk at lunchtime, and a quarter of an hours walk in the evening - whatever suits you!

The brain loves exercise.

There is a benefit to taking your first walk of the day before you go to work. Exercise pumps blood to the brain which increases your ability to think clearly. This will have clear benefits when you arrive at your place of work with a clear mind and an action plan.

In conclusion, regular exercise is a no-brainer, it is simply a matter of making it part of your daily routine because the benefits are enormous.

Remember Mayfair, we care.

Did you know that almost 30% of all deaths each year are due to heart disease?

Now that you do know, might you make an effort to pay a little more attention to looking after a healthy heart? For starters, here are 3 good habits to maintain a healthy heart:

Activity.

Exercise and activity is key to nearly every aspect of a healthy heart. Thirty minutes of exercise five times a week will help enormously. Whether this is on a treadmill or taking a brisk walk around your neighbourhood, a swim, a gym visit or a sports activity try to fit in whatever you can that suits your lifestyle.

Diet.

We hear all the time that diet and exercise are a most effective combination for remaining healthy. I wonder why this is?! Perhaps it’s because it is true?!

Where food is concerned try to base your meals around plant foods such as fruit, vegetables wholegrains, nuts and seeds. Include healthy fats like Olive Oil and have small amounts of red meat and fatty fish such as salmon and mackerel, these are all good for you.

Relaxation.

As mental and emotional stress is now believed to be a significant risk factor for heart problems try to factor some time to relax into your day.

There are numerous ways of reducing your stress levels such as yoga, meditation, going for a walk, reading, listening to music, or just socialising with friends.

3 health checks you should have on a regular basis.

Blood pressure.

According to the Heart Foundation the biggest risk factor for both heart disease and stroke is high blood pressure. High blood pressure is called a silent killer because there are no obvious symptoms so many people don’t realise they have it.

These days it is easy to buy blood pressure monitors for the homes where you can keep an eye on your it. Alternatively, make sure you visit the doctor on a regular basis for your blood pressure to be checked.

Cholesterol

Once again, it is important to have your cholesterol levels checked on a regular basis by the doctor. High cholesterol can be dangerous to your health and a simple test will tell you where your levels up.

Blood sugar.

Even if you don’t have diabetes, too much sugar in your blood can damage your arteries so please ensure that you get this checked on a regular basis as well.

These six tips will all contribute towards a healthier heart and remember, Mayfair cares

Mayfair, we care

Despite the clear distinction between mind and body, our mental and physical health are connected. The human body is essentially a well-oiled machine. If you think of it as a car, then you can see how our physical state can impact on our mental wellbeing.

For instance, a car with worn out wheels will consume much more fuel to slow down even though the wheels and the engine are two entirely different parts of the vehicle. Similarly, with us humans, our bodies can dictate how our minds feel and vice versa.        

Our physical health can impact on our mental health in a positive way and in a negative way. If you eat a balanced diet consistently, then your physical state will improve and so will your mental health. If you are a chronic smoker, your physical state deteriorates and eventually so does your mental wellbeing. Let’s look at some clear-cut examples of physical health affecting mental health.      

Exercise and Depression      

Physical activity has great benefits for both the body and mind. For the body, it yields better overall fitness and helps build muscle mass, making us stronger. For the mind, exercise increases activity in the frontal lobes and increases the brain’s uptake of endorphins, which are otherwise known as feel-good hormones.      

Physical exercises improve our physical state, but they also have a great impact on mental health. In fact, exercise is considered the best natural antidepressant because of the effect it has on the mind. Exercise improves our physical health, and our physical health positively affects our mental wellbeing. Better physical health enhances confidence and self-esteem, and this can uplift a depressed individual’s mood considerably.      

Depression and Chronic Illnesses      

On the flip side of things, poor physical health is detrimental to our mental health. A study conducted in 2009 on patients with chronic heart disease discovered that 22 per cent of the subjects had mild depression. 17 per cent of the participants were even taking antidepressants. At the end of the study, the researchers concluded that poor quality of life brought on by chronic illnesses can cause depression.

This conclusion was echoed by one professor from the Institute of Psychiatry in London. Professor David Goldberg noted that chronic illnesses put people at higher risk of depression. Interestingly, he also stated that depression could cause some chronic physical illnesses, saying “depression and chronic illness [es] are in [a] reciprocal relationship with one another.”      

Poor physical health is often a precursor to mental illnesses, but the reverse is also true. Let’s look at how our mental health can impact our physical state.      

Stress and Chronic Illnesses      

Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease that affects millions of people worldwide. This condition, which is characterized by the development of flaky sores on the skin, is triggered solely by stress, making it a prime example of how poor mental wellbeing can affect our physical state.      

85 percent of psoriasis patients are irked by their condition. One in ten contemplate suicide, and one in three feel shame and humiliation over their condition. This shows us the profound impact our mental health can have on our physical wellbeing, but it is also a clear example of how something like a bad skin condition can cause depression and even promote suicide.      

Physical stress has just as bad an impact on mental wellbeing, which is why many professional athletes suffer from mental illnesses at some point in their careers. Retired athletes often fall into depression due to the sudden shift in routine at the end of their careers. Their bodies are adapted to strenuous training schedules, and the sudden switch to sedentary living often instils them with a sense of hopelessness and lost purpose.      

Our physical and mental health are tied to one another in complicated ways. What we know is that they can both impact on each other positively and negatively. Many chronic illnesses are predated by mental illness, but our mental health also suffers significantly when our bodies undergo a prolonged period of illness. The two are cyclically linked, so your physical health is just as important to your mental wellbeing as your mental health is to your physical state.

Mayfair, we care