{"alias":"blogEntry","byline":"","standfirst":"We\u2019ve all heard that exercise is good for wellbeing. But how does it make a difference, what counts, and what should you do if you\u2019re struggling to get moving? With a little help from our friends at Mind, we look at the why, what, and how of exercise for mental health.","content":{"layouts":[{"type":"singleColumn","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/12650/badge-39-r1-01.jpg","width":1920,"height":1080,"altText":"","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDoes exercise benefit my mental health? \u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFor most people, exercise is a great mood booster. Physical activity releases feel-good hormones that can help people feel better and more energetic. It can also help with sleep (by making people feel more tired at the end of the day) and stress (by releasing the stress-management hormone cortisol and giving people a positive distraction).\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWe also know that exercise can help boost people\u2019s self-esteem and reduce their risk of depression.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s important to remember that exercise isn\u2019t magic. Sometimes people \u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/wellbeing/#WhatIfTheseTipsDontHelp\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022What if these tips don\u0027t help? (Mind.org.uk)\u0022 data-anchor=\u0022#WhatIfTheseTipsDontHelp\u0022\u003Edon\u2019t find it helpful\u003C/a\u003E; it can also have a negative impact on people\u2019s wellbeing, especially if they have \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/eating-problems/about-eating-problems/\u0022\u003Eeating difficulties\u003C/a\u003E or tend to \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/physical-activity-and-your-mental-health/how-much-to-do/#overtraining\u0022\u003Eovertrain\u003C/a\u003E.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat kind of exercise should I do? \u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBeing physically active just means moving your body more. That\u2019s not to say you have to start jogging or take up an organised sport (though some people find them great). You could also try playing an active computer game, having a mini dance party at home, or getting stuck in to an active chore like hoovering. Still not feeling inspired? Check out \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/physical-activity-and-your-mental-health/choosing-an-activity/#DisabilityMentalHealthAndInclusiveActivities\u0022\u003EMind\u2019s huge list of ideas\u003C/a\u003E.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s all about finding something that works for you, so be curious, try something new, and see how it goes.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow do I get stuck in? \u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EDon\u2019t try to run a marathon on day one. Choose something that\u2019s realistic and achievable \u2013\u00A0this means working with your level of fitness and usual routine to set your own goals that make sense for you.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMake sure you have the basics. You won\u2019t get far if you don\u2019t have \u003Ca href=\u0022https://shop.scouts.org.uk/casual-clothing\u0022\u003Eclothes you can move in\u003C/a\u003E and a \u003Ca href=\u0022https://shop.scouts.org.uk/search/bottle\u0022\u003Ewater bottle\u003C/a\u003E to stay hydrated, for example. \u00A0\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIf it\u2019s allowed with the government restrictions in your area, it\u2019s up to you whether you go solo or try to find an inclusive class or group of like-mined people. Think about which you\u2019d prefer \u2013 you may find the support of others boosts your confidence, or you may want to clear your head by getting stuck in on your own.\u00A0\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EOnce you\u2019ve found something you enjoy, you may want to invest in things that help you take it further. You could look at \u003Ca href=\u0022https://shop.scouts.org.uk/search/wicking\u0022\u003Ewicking tops\u003C/a\u003E that help draw moisture away from your body or a \u003Ca href=\u0022https://shop.scouts.org.uk/search/backpack\u0022\u003Ecomfy backpack\u003C/a\u003E to hold everything you need.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat if exercise isn\u2019t helping? \u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIf you find that sometimes exercise doesn\u2019t work for you, that\u2019s OK: you\u2019ve learned something valuable. Take a deep breath, change your routine or activity, and be kind to yourself as you try, try again. Mind has some \u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.mind.org.uk/about-us/our-policy-work/sport-physical-activity-and-mental-health/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022Physical activity and mental health (Mind.org.uk)\u0022\u003Egreat tips\u003C/a\u003E that may help if getting active isn\u2019t working for you.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAs always, it\u2019s OK to need more help with your wellbeing. If you\u2019re struggling with mental health, or you\u2019re worried your relationship with exercise is unhealthy, speak to your GP or reach out to a \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.mind.org.uk/\u0022\u003Echarity like Mind\u003C/a\u003E.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"type":"Promo","cta":"","body":"\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/staying-safe-and-safeguarding/supporting-life-issues-and-young-people/supporting-our-members/mental-health/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022Supporting mental health in Scouting\u0022\u003ESupporting mental health in Scouting\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022/activities/?name=better%20mental%20health\u0022 title=\u0022Activities\u0022 data-anchor=\u0022?name=better%20mental%20health\u0022\u003EBetter mental health activities\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/staying-safe-and-safeguarding/supporting-life-issues-and-young-people/guidance-to-share-with-young-people/\u0022 title=\u0022Guidance to share with young people\u0022\u003EGuidance to share with young people\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/staying-safe-and-safeguarding/supporting-life-issues-and-young-people/guidance-to-share-with-young-people/mental-health-organisations/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022Mental health organisations\u0022\u003EMental Health Organisations\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E","link":null,"colour":"#f1f1f1","title":"Other useful resources","image":null,"imageFocus":"","imageId":0,"imageKey":"00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000","imageCrop":"","gridType":"card","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"callToAction","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","buttonText":"Check out our other news this month","buttonLink":{"name":"February","id":null,"url":"/news/2021/february/","newWindow":false,"target":null},"colour":{"value":"490499","label":"490499"},"alignment":"left"}]}],"config":null}]},"searchDescription":null,"pageType":null,"location":null,"versionDate":"03 February 2021","reviewDate":null,"furtherReading":[],"relatedLinks":[],"id":48636,"nodeName":"Be active to boost your wellbeing","title":"Be active to boost your wellbeing","type":"blogEntry","image":{"url":"/media/12650/badge-39-r1-01.jpg?width=800\u0026height=450\u0026v=1d9becd15c1b610","caption":"Badge 39 R1 01","type":"jpg","size":381836,"width":1920,"height":1080,"altText":""},"assets":null,"headerOptions":{"headerTitle":"Be active to boost your wellbeing","headerSubTitle":null,"headerCta":null,"headerCtaText":null,"headerCtaLink":null,"headerBackgroundColour":null,"showSEOImage":false,"headerBackgroundImage":null,"quickLinks":null},"subHeader":" Find out how being active can make a difference. 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