What can help
What can help

EasyDNNNewsSearch

Storytelling is one of the foundations of our culture. We can create connections by sharing stories – especially those that offer inspiration and hope. Recovery in mental health is not always well understood; sharing your story makes personal recovery come alive. It also supports values and strengthens lessons learned from life experiences. It helps to build community and create connections.

You can find lots of inspirational stories; use the search bar at the top to find stories relevant to you. To return to this page after a search, please press the back button in your browser.

Alternatively if you are a registered student and would like to write your story and want to share it, please contact us. You can read about other students experiences on our testimonials page and learn more about getting involved on our student development programme page.

Why Walking Works

Louisa
11 May 2021

Mental Health Awareness Week

Why Walking Works

This week is Mental Health Awareness Week and this is another contribution to the campaign run by Mental Health Foundation. In our recent blog about nature and wellbeing, some of the recommended nature activity included walking trails, treasure hunts and cycle routes. This is because a side effect of enjoying nature may include taking up physical exercise, such as walking, hiking, climbing, cycling, swimming, gardening or running. This is good news, because walking can improve your physical wellbeing.


This week is Mental Health Awareness Week and this is our final contribution to the campaign run by Mental Health Foundation. In our recent blog about nature and wellbeing, some of the recommended nature activity included walking trails, treasure hunts and cycle routes. This is because a side effect of enjoying nature may include taking up physical exercise, such as walking, hiking, climbing, cycling, swimming, gardening or running.

This is good news, because walking can improve your physical wellbeing by:

  • increasing cardiovascular and pulmonary (heart and lung) fitness
  • reducing risk of heart disease and stroke
  • improving management of conditions such as hypertension (high blood pressure), high cholesterol, joint and muscular pain or stiffness, and diabetes
  • strengthening bones and improved balance
  • increasing muscle strength and endurance
  • reducing body fat
  • improving air quality

It is also suggested that regular physical exercise in green spaces can boost our immune system.

Furthermore, the Department of Health states: “Regular physical activity contributes to the prevention of more than twenty conditions including coronary heart disease, diabetes, certain types of cancer, mental ill-health and obesity”

Walking also helps us with our mental health by:

  • improving our mood
  • lowering stress levels
  • reducing depression and anxiety
  • helping with dementia and cognitive functioning
  • reducing noise pollution, which could help us think or practise mindfulness
  • increasing opportunities for socialisation and connecting

Walking has the potential to fulfil many other needs too, including reducing boredom and increasing a sense of freedom and independence; which will also improve our self-esteem.

Plus, think of it this way…walking is excellent value for money! All of these benefits and it’s free! It even helps the NHS, your local community and the planet. By walking or cycling, you’ll be reducing carbon emissions, saving energy and preventing additional healthcare costs to the NHS.

“If every household in England were provided with good access to quality green space it could save an estimated £2.1 billion in health care costs” - NHS

You’ll also be giving your local council and local trusts, like Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust’s reserves, more reasons to invest in local green spaces, helping your local community get the most out of the natural parts of Hertfordshire.

City planners could invest to ensure  that   nature  is available to all, for example by adding trees and flowers along walkways and city streets. Richardson, Passmore et al also continues to say: “Long-term planning for urban “greenways” connecting parks,  public,  transit,  schools,  and  basic-necessity  shops,  with  prompts  to  notice  this  nature, would improve the lives of all residents.  Within this, there is also need to consider how urban noise can block access to sounds of nature, such as birdsong or crickets chirping”.

 

Other activities:

If you’re looking to take things a step further, you can also swim in lakes, join a ramblers walking group or take part in one of Hertfordshire’s Park runs.

 “Australian researchers found that members of land conservation groups experience higher levels of health and well-being than non-members. The positive health benefits derived from participating in conservation activities include improvements to physical health and general mood and, in addition, to enhanced social capital.” - Moore, Townsend and Oldroyd

Challenge:

Challenge A:

Why not try and set yourself a new walking routine? It could be a five minute daily walk around the block, a weekly walk along your local park or canal or monthly meet-up with your friends in the woods. For those who like improve their wellbeing by giving back (one of the five ways to wellbeing), joining a local conservation group or planting a tree could be a simple and cost effective way for you to combine both mood boosting activities.

Challenge B:

Whatever it is that you do, we would love to hear about it. We give all of our students the opportunity to write poems, submit pictures or tell their story – so if walking in nature has helped you this week, why not encourage others by sharing your story?

References

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/walking-for-good-health

https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/guides-tools-and-activities/exercise-for-depression/

Department of Health 2005: ‘Choosing Activity: a physical activity action plan’, Cm 6374, London, Department of Health. cabeurl.com/2o

http://info.evergreen.ca/en/blog/entry/green-time-just-what-the-doctor-ordered?utm_source=Canadian+Green+Health+Care+Digest+Issue+%2378+-+March+27%2C+2013&utm_campaign=Green+Digest+%2378&utm_medium=email

Moore M, Townsend M and Oldroyd J. 2006. Linking human and ecosystem health: the benefits of community involvement in conservation groups. EcoHealth 3(4) 255-261

Our Natural Health Service – ‘The role of the natural environment in maintaining healthy lives’, Natural England 2009 – www.naturalengland.org.uk/publications

https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/guides-tools-and-activities/exercise-for-depression/

Richardson, M., Passmore, H, A., Lumber, R., Thomas, R., & Hunt, A. (2021). Moments, not minutes: The

nature-wellbeing relationship. International Journal of Wellbeing, 11(1), 8-33. https://doi.org/10.5502/ijw.v11i1.1267

Print

Name:
Email:
Subject:
Message:
x