Call for a free consultation today

Rear view of a man cycling in the country.

Exercise to improve mental health

What is ‘mental health?’

Put simply, our mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. Our mental fitness fluctuates as it gets tested, especially now at this uncertain time. When it comes under strain it can show itself as anxiety which is a feeling of unease, nervousness or worry about what is to come. Anxiety can be born out of fear, frustration, anger or grief.

All these feelings make up our level of ‘mental health’.

Now more than ever, many of us will feel unsettled about our day to day lives. Work or relationships may be getting on top of us, or we may be overwhelmed by a sense of confinement or the need to juggle more than one role at once.

When our mentality begins to directly affect and control us, it can become a mental health issue but what we can control is our response, and one of the simplest ways to improve your mental health is exercise.

Physical health directly impacts mental wellness. The fitter and stronger your body, the more resilient you become, helping you to handle those feelings of low mood. Exercise also promotes better sleep, improves muscle tone and increases heart and lung capacity. It provides a feel-good factor on completion and can support weight loss.

 

Increasing your exercise

At present, we must adhere to Government guidelines in terms of exercise which means only exercising either alone or with members of your household. Until the current situation allows for the opportunity to join an organised group, you could start your exercise path at home via online activity.

We have some great articles on Staying fit and active inside and Nutrition on our blog.

You could also use this time to research any clubs or groups you may wish to join once restrictions are lifted. Generally, all groups, gyms and clubs have their own social media sites with hints and tips on staying well, good nutrition and hydration advice, exercise programmes and general motivation. There are also Facebook groups that promote mental health improvement via exercise and support, one good example to take a look at is #Flourish.

When the current situation allows, getting out with friends, joining an exercise class, or taking part in group meets such as ‘mentalhealthmile’ are all great ways of supporting your mental wellbeing. Joining a regular class can help you to socialise with new people, help to maintain your fitness and can provide a routine to help you to stay motivated when you may not feel like exercising alone.

Being mobile, able to challenge our strength and speed plus being outdoors in the fresh air (or just a different environment) immediately offers an opportunity for improved physicality. Life seems so much better from a mountain top, or amongst like-minded people. There is a freeing or opening of the mind and situations don’t seem as dire when viewed on the horizon or shared with others.

 

Just starting out? 

There are many opportunities within local running, cycling and swimming clubs for beginners or those just wanting social interaction and a motivator to get out of the house. There are many Couch to 5K apps and groups setting up in the UK so there’s a level for everyone.

The most basic exercise available to all is to walk. Set yourself a goal depending on your ability, for example 10,000 steps a day and keep count on your phone or activity tracker. You can make small changes to your daily routine to help you achieve your goal, for example, meet your friends for a takeout coffee rather than sitting in a café or park the car further away from work and walk the rest of the way. The extra 10 minutes of exercise a day soon adds up to help with your physical fitness and your mental fitness level will improve too!

 

 

Thank you to guest contributor: Louise Goddard, Founder LegItLancaster and Mental Health Mile

Louise’s name is well-established in the North West running community.

Louise regularly volunteers and runs at physical wellbeing running, walking and wheeling events in and around Lancaster, most notably the ‘Mental Health Mile’ series. She was awarded ‘Volunteer of the year’ at the 2019 National Volunteer Awards.

Louise organises monthly timed mile runs to raise awareness of the importance of mental health and promote the benefits of physical activity and coming together as a community to improve our health and wellbeing. 

#mentalhealthmile events has been organising a one-mile event in Lancaster and other local parks each month for over 3 years; the aim is to encourage people of all abilities to get together and run, wheel, walk and talk. The ‘mile’ is particularly aimed at those who don’t do much exercise or wish to start a healthier work/life balance and those who may need support and encouragement.

Mental fitness is the objective and by using exercise, group work and the safe environment of a traffic-free park we are enabling the more vulnerable in the community to come along and try something new. This is a not-for-profit organisation, donations are taken on the day and immediately put back into the next event, providing incentives and rewards to all participants.

For more information about our services or to start your claim, call 0808 100 9995 and speak to one of our specialist solicitors. We’re here to help. You can email us or schedule a callback.

Written By:

Emily Pheysey

Litigation Executive

Emily has over 7 years of experience in the legal sector, handling road traffic accident claims to recover compensation and support her clients. Her focus is to ensure all clients feel comfortable and at ease with the claims process so that they can focus on their recovery.

Emily considers rapport to be an essential part of the role and strives to always provide excellent client care.

Away from work, Emily enjoys spending time with her family and friends and travelling as much possible.

Diane Holderness

Litigation Executive

Diane is a Ministry of Justice (TOJ) Team Leader within our Cycle Department. She has 11 years’ experience managing road traffic accident claims, and 6 years’ experience managing MOJ claims.

Diane enjoys a challenge and always strives for the very best results for her customers; something that is clear in the way her team continually adapts its strategies in order to secure the most desired outcome. Diane has worked her way through the legal ranks here, and is proud to now have a strong, specialist team that is committed to customer satisfaction.

Diane believes that happy clients make a happy working environment, and it is this that ensures a productive and efficient workforce.

Nina Haddock

Chartered Legal Executive

Nina has over 30 years’ experience in the legal sector. She specialises in recovering compensation for injury claimants as a result of road traffic accidents. Her focus for each and every claim is to help her clients secure the funding that they need to pay for ongoing treatment and support.

Nina became a CILEX Fellow in 2006 and now helps her clients and their families at a time when they have been through a traumatic experience, and everything they hold dear to them appears to be changing.

One case Nina is particularly proud of is supporting a client who had successfully sought asylum in the UK, following a road traffic accident. The claim was successfully pursued through the MIB and the client was left with significant injuries. Her client was able to use the compensation to aid family members with their applications to seek asylum in the UK.

Julian Fox

Cycling Accident Solicitor

Julian qualified as a Solicitor in 2005 and has worked in all areas of personal injury since 2000. Julian has a well-rounded understanding of personal injury law, having represented both claimants and defendants.

Julian always aims for maximum damages to meet his clients’ needs for injury and rehabilitation expenses, and can often secure interim payments to help meet clients’ financial needs. Julian is highly proactive in ensuring cases are progressed, ensuring a timely conclusion.

When not at the office, Julian is a keen cyclist, both on roads and virtually -he will often do an hour of ‘Zwifting’ in the mornings before starting work.

Richard Atherton

Cycling Accident Solicitor

Richard has 12 years of legal experience and qualified as a Solicitor in February 2014. He has been a Team Manager with us since 2019. Throughout his career, Richard has specialised in personal injury, handling an array of Road Traffic Accident cases, in addition to employer and public liability.

Richard prides himself on his very strong strategic and planning skills, which come into their own in complex injury cases where more technical arguments are involved. On every case, he is committed to ensuring that his clients receive full compensation for their injuries.

Away from work, Richard enjoys sport; he is a season ticket holder at St Helens Rugby Club and a Liverpool FC fan. Not only a spectator, Richard also likes going to play golf as often as he can.

Dave Gardner

Litigation Executive

Dave has over 20 years of experience in the legal sector. His specialism is personal injury and he has dealt with hundreds of cycling injury claims during his career. Excellent client care and communication is paramount to Dave. He prides himself on being accessible and available, attending court hearings where damages are in dispute to ensure the best outcome for his clients. One case Dave is particularly proud of is when he supported an elderly client who suffered serious injuries following a road traffic incident. The police had not taken any action against the defendant, so Dave had to be proactive and act within a 24-hour window. The case proceeded and the client was in receipt of £30,000 in damages, which he would not have been entitled to had the client not approached Dave. He is also an avid supporter of Glasgow Rangers and travelled abroad on many occasions to see them play in European competitions.

Gerard Horton

Partner

Gerard is a Senior Solicitor at Cycle SOS. In his 13 years of experience, Gerard has built a national reputation in the catastrophic injury sector, dealing with high value and complex cases. Alongside his legal role, Gerard supports several charities including Headway Central Lancashire, Northwest Regional Spinal Injuries Centre and spinal injury charity, Back Up.

Julia Eyton

Partner

Julia brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the Cycle SOS team.

Specialising in representing those who have had life changing injuries, Julia handles some of the most serious and complex personal injury cases both within Cycle SOS and nationally.

She often works on high value claims and is skilled in winning complex liability cases.

NADIA KERR

Partner

Nadia has over 30 years of legal expertise and has represented hundreds of vulnerable road users. With a focus on ensuring timely rehabilitation, speedy repair or replacement of bikes and kit, and securing fair compensation, Nadia is committed to advocating for justice and client rights. Alongside her legal career, Nadia actively participates in national campaigns to benefit vulnerable road users and acts as a Trustee/Director for the national cycling charity, Cycling UK. Nadia was named in Cycling UK’s ‘100 women’ and was a founding member, now running a women’s cycling group, TeamGlow in South Manchester. Among her many achievements, Nadia takes pride in her spot on BBC Breakfast, where she provided expert commentary on long term government funding for pothole repairs.

Caroline Morris

DIRECTOR OF SERIOUS INJURY

Caroline has specialised in personal injury for over 25 years, recovering more than £56 million in damages during that time, to help clients rebuild their lives after injury.

Caroline is committed to achieving rehabilitation options early, meaning her clients benefits from the best care and treatment at the earliest stage possible.