CMHA Kelowna

Supporting a Mentally Healthy Kelowna

  • Mental Health
    • Find Help Now
    • Learn About Mental Illnesses
    • Explore Your Mental Health
    • Talking to Teens About Mental Health
    • Supporting a Friend or Family Member
    • Workplace Mental Health
    • Preventing Suicide
  • Programs & Services
    • Youth & Families
      • Foundry Kelowna
      • Foundry Kelowna’s Wellness on Wheels
      • Youth Housing & Services
    • Housing
      • CMHA Kelowna Housing
      • Youth Housing & Services
      • Central Okanagan Rent Bank
      • Rent Supplements
      • Case Management
      • Homelessness Outreach Navigator
      • Scattered Sites Program
    • Wellness
    • Virtual Counselling Services
  • Community Education
    • Blog Post
  • Ways to Get Involved
    • The Payton & Dillon Budd Memorial Ride
    • Donate
    • Events & Activities Calendar
    • Host, Sponsor or Support an Event
    • Volunteer
    • All Careers
  • Discovery College
  • About Us

Move for your Mood

March 18, 2021 By Communications 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

3 tips to get the spring back in your step

March 22, 2019 By Leave a Comment

We have weathered the snow storms and bundled up through the freezing temperatures, and now spring is just around the corner. While winter can be grey, spring offers a new beginning. Why not start this spring off as your best self?

As the days grow more green and bright, we have three tips to help you feel your best this season.

1. Get outside

As spring approaches, we’ll see more daylight and more sunshine. Vitamin-D, which comes from the sun, can boost your mood and energy levels. This spring, take advantage of the warmer weather and catch some rays. You can also increase your Vitamin-D intake by using light therapy or taking supplements.

2. Get active

Exercising relieves stress and increases energy. While working out and staying active may be easier said than done some days, start off by setting small goals. Take the stairs instead of riding the escalator. Go for a ten-minute walk on your lunch break. These small initiatives will contribute to your physical and mental well-being.

3. Eat a balanced diet

It’s easy to turn to comfort foods when you’re feeling under the weather. While it’s okay to treat yourself, it’s also important to ensure your diet is filled with foods that make you feel good. Make sure to include a lot of fruits and veggies in your diet to keep your spirits up. Some research suggests that foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish and eggs, may also help to boost your mood.


Even when we have great mental health, we can still experience hard days. It’s important to remember to recognize how we are feeling and ask for help when it’s needed. If you’re in need of support, you can find help here.

This article originally appeared on the CMHA National website

Filed Under: News Tagged With: CMHA, CMHA Kelowna, Kelowna, mental health, mental health awareness, mental health tips, spring

3 reasons to take a vacation this summer

July 30, 2018 By Leave a Comment

Canadians miss out on an average of three earned vacation days every year.[1] While you may feel that’s a small sacrifice to make to get the job done, the consequences may be bigger than you think.

Canadians spend about a third of their lives in the workplace.[2] Even though it might seem productive to keep our noses to the grindstone, when we fail to disconnect, our job performance can actually decrease.[3] Plus, without work-life balance, we put our minds and our bodies at risk.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Canadian Mental Health Association, CMHA Kelowna, Kelowna, mental health, reasons to take vacation, travel, vacation

Next Page »

WHO WE ARE

ABOUT CMHA KELOWNA
MISSION VISION & VALUES
OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OUR TEAM


WHAT WE DO

REPORTS & IMPACT
LATEST NEWS
NEWSLETTER
COMPLAINTS


GET INVOLVED

CAREERS
EVENTS
GET INVOLVED
MEDIA LIBRARY


CONTACT

CMHA Kelowna
504 Sutherland Avenue, Kelowna, BC. V1Y 5X1
Phone: 250-861-3644
Fax: 250-763-4827
E-mail: [email protected]

CMHA Kelowna Charitable #: 10686 3392 RR0001

contact us | resources | privacy | site map

Imagin Canada Logo

The Standards Program Trustmark is a mark of Imagine Canada used under licence by Canadian Mental Health Association - Kelowna Branch.

The CMHA Kelowna offices are located on the ancestral, traditional, and unceded lands of the Okanagan Nation and Syilx peoples. We are committed to sustaining relationships with Indigenous people based on respect, dignity, trust, and cooperation in the process of advancing truth and reconciliation.


Copyright © 2023 Canadian Mental Health Association, Kelowna