Mental Health Awareness Week 2024

Posted by Devon Partnership Trust in Mental health, News on 13th May, 2024

Today marks the start of Mental Health Awareness Week 2024 (13-19 May). The theme this year is “Movement: Moving more for our mental health.”

Movement is important for both our physical and mental health, but so many of us struggle to fit exercise into our daily life. There are many reasons for this, however finding ways to add more movement into your day doesn’t have to be difficult. There are lots of simple ways to get started, such as going for a stroll during your lunchbreak, or chair exercises that can be done at your desk.

Jack Phillips is the Lead for Staff Physical Health and Wellbeing within our organisation. His role is to use exercise to protect, maintain and improve the physical and mental health of our workforce.

Jack said: “Physical activity isn’t just about staying fit but also a great way to keep mentally well. Exercise releases endorphins in the brain and even just short bursts of activity can improve our energy and mood.

“One way of increasing our activity is focusing on achieving our daily step count. Research shows that the average person takes between 3000-4000 steps a day, however we should be aiming for 10,000 and also achieving the government guidelines of 150 minutes of physical activity a week. This becomes increasingly harder especially in desk-based roles or when working from home.

“Some of my top tips on how to get moving more are:

Routine - Plan physical activity into your day and have it as an important non-negotiable.
Take your breaks - We don’t have to run a marathon during this time, instead we can just go for a walk and enjoy the fresh air. You could also try some chair squats if the weather is not so good! Try whatever suits you best but it is important to use these breaks to stay active, especially in more sedentary roles.
Stretches - Adding stretching routines into your day will not only increase activity and suppleness, it can also relieve stress and boost your mood.
Active meetings - Consider if you can have your meetings outside – this is a great chance to get your steps in and enjoy nature. If you’re chairing a meeting, whether in person or remotely, try and add active breaks active breaks so people can get up and move around.
Socialise - Working remotely can be really isolating. Creating spaces to meet with colleagues to stay active and connect has so many benefits."

For more information about Mental Health Awareness Week, please visit the Mental Health Foundation website.

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