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Move for your Mood

March 18, 2021 By Jessica Samuels Leave a Comment

Move to improve your mental health

Before we talk about how to improve your mental health, let’s make sure we agree on what we’re talking about. At the Canadian Mental Health Association, we notice that people use the terms “mental health” and “mental illness” interchangeably, but really, they mean different things.

Mental illnesses are disturbances in thoughts, feelings, and perceptions that are severe enough to affect day-to-day functioning.[i] Some examples are anxiety disorders or major depression, and by age 40, about half of people in Canada will have or have had a mental illness.

Mental health, however, is a state of well-being, and we all have it. Some signs of good mental health are enjoying life, having a sense of purpose, and being able to manage life’s highs and lows.

One in five people in Canada will experience a mental health problem or illness in any given year.[ii] But five in five of us have mental health that needs to be protected and promoted.

The good news is, there are things we can all do to promote and protect our mental health, and they can be as simple as putting one foot in front of the other.

Move to feel well

You don’t need to run to get a runner’s high. Any aerobic activity, such as powerwalking to the grocery store, climbing a toboggan hill or doing jumping jacks in your basement pumps up endorphins and floods your brain with feel-good chemicals.

If you’re feeling tense or trapped by your always-on monkey brain, movement can be a form of meditation, too. Ever notice how you’ve forgotten the stresses of your day after a long walk?

People who exercise report feeling less stressed or nervous, and regular heart-pumping movement can reduce tension, fatigue and anger, and improve your mood, your self-esteem and your body image. For even greater benefits, get moving outdoors! Recent studies have found people report a higher level of vitality, enthusiasm and pleasure after they have walked outside.

Move to manage illness

In people with a diagnosed mental illness, such as depression, regular physical activity can even help treat your symptoms.[iii] In the short term, vigorous exercise that really gets your heart pumping can boost your mood after just 10 or 15 minutes.

And, if you get moving regularly, this trains your brain over time to help regulate your mood and can even relieve depression.

Ride the ups and downs of life

Remember: even if you don’t have a mental illness, that doesn’t mean you’ll feel great all the time. You might experience stress, a difficult life event, or burnout. Just like anyone can catch a cold or flu, everyone experiences the ups and downs of life.

So, there’s not just the one in five of us who have mental illnesses, and “the rest of us” who don’t. There is no rest of us. There is just us—all five in five. And regular physical activity can help all of us feel better, mentally and physically.

Are you looking for mental health services or supports in your own community? Visit www.cmha.ca to find your local CMHA. If you are thinking of suicide, please visit www.crisisservicescanada.ca or call 1-833-456-4566; in QC, call 1-866-APPELLE.

[i] Quick Facts: Mental Illness & Addiction in Canada. Mood Disorders Society of Canada

[ii] https://cmha.ca/fast-facts-about-mental-illness

[iii] https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/exercise-is-an-all-natural-treatment-to-fight-depression

This article was written for ParticipACTION’s Move for your Mood campaign and originally appeared on the CMHA National website

Filed Under: News Tagged With: CMHA, CMHA Kelowna, depression, exercise for depression, Kelowna, mental health, move for your mood

Let’s Talk…Here’s How

January 30, 2019 By Leave a Comment

When we are worried about the mental health of a friend or family member, mentioning our concerns can feel awkward. You want to be supportive but may be nervous that you’re being nosey, intrusive, or perhaps afraid you will say the wrong thing. But the more we talk about mental health, the more comfortable the topic will become.

On Bell Let’s Talk Day, The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Kelowna wants you to know that you don’t need to have all the answers in order to support someone going through a tough time. The first step is breaking the silence.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Bell Let's talk, Budd, depression, having the conversation, How to talk, mental health. CMHA Kelowna, suicide, Tom Budd

KGH Foundation & CMHA Partnership Succeeds. $2million Raised to Open Youth Mental Health Care Centre

August 3, 2017 By

L to R: Shelagh Turner, Doug Rankmore and Al Hildebrandt

“It is with extraordinary pride and gratitude that we announce the completion of our ‘Not Alone’ campaign to raise $2 million to support the opening of Foundry Kelowna.” – Doug Rankmore, CEO of the KGH Foundation and Shelagh Turner, Executive Director of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Kelowna.

A first-of-its-kind fundraising partnership between two local, non-profit organizations has been a remarkable success.

In just seven months, the KGH Foundation and CMHA Kelowna have succeeded in their goal to raise the funds necessary to open Foundry Kelowna, a new integrated care centre aimed at supporting youth and families struggling with mental health and substance issues.

“Every aspect of this project has demonstrated collaboration and innovation. We are so inspired by how our community has caught the vision of Foundry Kelowna. Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for youth and families to take charge of their health by providing a variety of services through an integrated and personal approach,” says Shelagh Turner, Executive Director of CMHA Kelowna.

Indeed, the partnership set the tone for what was to become a massive collaborative effort by the community to fundraise for the cause.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: News Tagged With: anxiety, awareness, caregivers, community, depression, family, family support, fundraiser, fundraising, help, mental health, parents, prevention, programs, recovery, students, support, Wellness, youth

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