Physical Activity

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Increasing physical activity has the potential to improve mental health and wellbeing of individuals, families and it is free and easy to do.

There are many benefits to taking regular exercise from just improving mood to lowering illness such as type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke and cancer.

For more detailed information please visit the 'Benefits of exercise' page on the NHS website.  

There are a range of infographics available that can help you explain why and how people should get more active

The UK's Department of Health and Social Care, and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, have published a range of infographics on the amount and type of physical activity people should be doing to improve their health. These can be found at - gov.uk/government/collections/physical-activity-guidelines

Very Brief Intervention

Ask

What physical activities do you currently enjoy doing?

  • Physical activity doesn't have to cost anything; activities like gardening, walking, cycling and playing with your kids all count as physical activity.
  • Did you know that 'Physical Activity' is defined as body movement that expends energy and raises the heart rate?

Did you know that being active for just 10 minutes per day can boost your energy, clear your head and lift your mood?

  • Just 10 minutes brisk walking will raise your heart rate and can go some way towards lowering your risk of serious illnesses, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
  • Evidence has demonstrated the following health benefits from a brisk 10 minute walk each day:
    • Increased physical fitness 
    • Greater ease of performance of everyday physical activities 
    • Improved mood 
    • Improved quality of life 
    • Increased physical leanness and healthier weight.

Can you think of any benefits that this would have on your health and lifestyle?

Assist

Can you think of any opportunities to incorporate an active 10 minutes into your day? 

  • Suggestions include:
    • Get out on your bike
    • Brisk walk - build up distance each time and set a target, ask a friend to come along
    • Walk to a relatives house
    • Using a car park or parking space that is further away than normal.

Going back to the activities you enjoy doing either now or in the past, did you know?

  • The NHS recommends that adults do 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week, but this can be broken down into short 10 minutes sessions or spread evenly over 4 to 5 days a week or every day. You can find out more here.
  • Some people find it helpful to write down a weekly plan to help you see when it may be easier to fit in some physical activity. 
  • If you are goal driven then think of something realistic and achievable that you could work toward, this could be starting on the Couch to 5k programme, taking part in a parkrun, or going for a walk with a friend or family. 
  • If you spend a long time in a job that involves standing or sitting during the day, you may feel tired but have you had the physical activity you need? Your brain may tell you that it wants to relax from that stressful day... but you can reward your brain and your physical health by undertaking that activity you promised you would do.
  • Remember small changes can make a big difference, it's never too late to start moving more! 

Act

 Self Care

  • If you don't do anything, do something. if exercise didn’t involve a whole lot of self-motivation and actual physical activity, but instead came in a pill, it would be hailed immediately as “a wonder drug” such are the health benefits involved. 
  • The NHS's Better Health Get Active campaign supports adults by encouraging physical activity at a local level. A range of personalised tools, tips and special offers are available to help you to move more every day.  
  • The NHS Couch to 5k phone app (available on the App Store or Google Play) has been designed to help get people off the couch and running in just 9 weeks.
  • The NHS Active 10 phone app (available on the App Store or Google Play) shows you how much brisk walking you do and helps to show you how you can fit a ten minute brisk walk into your day. It breaks this brisk walking down into manageable chunks of ten minutes and encourages at least one session every day (which equates to 70 minutes a week). Users can set their own goals and the app encourages people to progress up to 30 brisk minutes of walking per day, to meet the 150 minutes recommended by the Chief Medical Officer.
  • Why not join a parkrun in your local area? Did you know that one of the best things about parkrun and Junior parkrun is that you can run, or jog or walk entirely at your own pace. This makes it accessible for those who never could envisage running 2k or 5k and creates an environment where people feel welcome. For those who don’t wish to run, jog or walk there is always the opportunity to volunteer to support your local parkrun. There is probably a parkrun local to you…