When we prioritise our health and wellbeing, the wealth of benefits will go beyond the physical. From reducing stress to boosting confidence and mood, movement is a powerful tool that will help lead a healthier and happier life.
Small steps and changes that contribute to a healthier lifestyle can be as simple as getting moving out in the fresh air. When we step outside, we not only engage our muscles but our senses. Breathing in the fresh air, taking in natural light and surrounding oneself with nature significantly reduces stress and enhances our connection with the world around us. Boosted clarity and focus can have further effects on family and work life. From one change to our routine, a bounty of positive effects can occur!
If we educate young people and teach them the invaluable lesson of how beneficial activity is for wellbeing, this will help their development and carry a love of activity through to adulthood. Currently in Essex, 36,000 young people aged between 5 and 18 years old experience mental health
challenges.
Harnessing the benefits of physical activity could be key to improving this statistic and projects like Active Essex Foundation’s Youth Sport and Mental Health project understand that intervention is needed. To reduce expensive clinical treatment and waiting times, the project aims to create safe active spaces for young people to find something that works for them and supports their wellbeing.
This could be achieved through boxing, martial arts, dance and many other forms of movement! Exploring different sorts of movements depending on ability is important for adding daily active minutes into a routine. Long term health conditions and disabilities can often appear as barriers to leading an active lifestyle but there can be joy found in discovering something that makes you feel happy and healthier
Active Essex have a health and wellbeing webpage that assists those managing a range of health conditions. It’s of vital importance to Active Essex and the deliverers they work with that inclusive and accessible spaces are created for people to find their active and experience the health benefits from whatever they discover. It could be that a new online seated exercise class or a walking group is the catalyst for improved mental and physical wellbeing.
However you prioritise your health, make sure to find and commit to something you love as you will discover the positive changes to your wellbeing that follow
Visit: www.activeessex.org/find-your-active
https://www.activeessex.org/move-with-us/
Morning and Lunchtime 15 minute online Workouts
Workplace Zoom Sessions:
Monday’s 9:00 – 9.15am: Lindsey – Move and Stretch Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 857 0196 5702
Passcode: 030174
Tuesday’s 12:00 – 12:15 with Chloe Townsend – Lunchtime Energiser Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 830 4829 4750
Passcode: 714925
Wednesday’s 08.45 – 09:00am with Chloe Townsend – Cardio Blast Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 837 396
Thursday’s 09:00 – 09:15 am with Chloe Townsend – Total Tone Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 854 5969 0931
Passcode: 629695
Friday’s 08.45 – 09:00 am with Lindsey Abbott – Move and Stretch Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 837 7303 0512
Passcode: 218151
Workplace Pledge and Active Travel Toolkit
You can download social medial pledge cards, which can be used in emails, to help show what you and your workplace/team will pledge to do. You can also access the Newsletter and other useful resources For more details about the Pledge and to download your Active Travel Toolkit and Workplace guide
Find Your Active is focused on helping people find time to move, get more active and enjoy the benefits. This month it about bringing to focus the importance of workplaces encouraging physical activity.
Working in a busy office can often result in long hours spent at a desk but workplaces and their employees should adopt a new way of working in which physical activity opportunities are injected into every day. This could include creating a 50 minute meeting with a 10 minute stretch to finish which encourages a group movement stretch to relieve aching muscles and energise. Small changes such as this could initiate long-term benefits for both the employees and the workplace.
Not only are there physical benefits to promoting an active workplace but mental benefits also. Activities such as stretching, or yoga can increase serotonin levels and subsequently reduce stress and stabilise one’s mood. In a stressful working environment this could be vital.
Outside of the office, travelling to work is another opportunity to get active! If you can, why not try walking, scooting or cycling into the office to increase your activity levels whilst also doing your bit to reduce the greenhouse emissions and help improve air quality.
Introducing these small changes into your life could help in the long term and increase your energy levels day to day which will reflect in your working life.
To find out more, visit the webpage below, or get in touch to see how we can support.
www.activeessex.org/find-your-active
