FIT Mental Health Awareness Week

Credit: The Mental Health Foundation

Did you know that May 9-15th this year is Mental Health Awareness Week? At Bluefin Fitness, we’re marking this week by teaming up with Andy’s Man Club to talk about this year’s theme of loneliness. In particular, we’ll be looking at ways to combat feelings of isolation and loneliness to ensure that nobody goes through periods of mental ill-health alone.

What is Mental Health Awareness Week about?

Mental Health Awareness Week is an annual event to focus on the importance of having good mental health. It was founded by the Mental Health Foundation 21 years ago, with each annual event focusing on a different theme to try to open discussion around topics that affect everyone, from all walks of life. Part of the problem around mental health is the stigma that often goes with certain conditions like depression, which can lead to people suffering in silence. Fortunately, times are changing and more people are opening up about mental health issues, thanks to organisations and groups like Andy’s Man Club, which offers talking groups to men of all ages who may have previously struggled to talk openly about their mental health.

Challenging the stigma

We’re long-time supporters of Andy’s Man Club, which was founded in 2016 by Luke Ambler and his family after the tragic death of his brother-in-law Andy, who they lost without warning, to suicide at just 23 years old. It’s sadly not uncommon, as stats show one man takes his own life every two hours in the UK. One of the contributing factors is thought to be that men don’t talk enough about their problems or how they’re feeling. That’s why Luke and Andy’s mother Elaine set about creating talking groups for everyone but especially men, who may be going through a difficult time and want to talk, or even just listen to others in a safe, non-judgemental environment.

Today, Andy’s Man Club runs in over 60 locations across the UK, offering sessions encouraging talking, listening, sharing, and learning, with no obligation to do anything the attendee isn’t comfortable with.

Luke is keen for us to recognise the signs of ill mental health and to take positive steps to overcome it. He visited Bluefin HQ earlier this year and had this to say:

“In the midst of the storm, there’s overwhelm, there’s fear, anxiety…constant questions of what if, what’s going to be? Am I enough? Is this ever going to end?  But it’s not until the storm settles that you get the clarity that you need.

“Nature is the answer, getting outside. Away from the expectation, away from the pressures of being more, doing more and just breathing…taking in everything that’s been gifted to us. The water, the fields, the hills, the mountains, the trees and the woods… here is where you’ll find the answers.”

 

What can I do to help tackle feelings of loneliness?

At Bluefin, we’re big advocates of using exercise to support good mental health and help control symptoms of anxiety and depression. It’s clinically proven that exercising can help to regulate these conditions by producing more of the ‘happy’ chemicals in our brains to stave off any feelings of low mood.  It can also help to keep to a particular routine to manage feelings of stress and anxiety. Here are just a few suggestions of how exercise can also help feelings of loneliness:

Two’s company

There’s nothing like working out in the company of a friend or loved one to both spur you on and make you feel completely at ease. So reach out to that mate you haven’t seen in a while and see if they want to go running or do a class with you. Spending quality time with someone while working out is not only a great way to catch up but to boost endorphins and those feel-good chemicals pulsating through your body.

Join an online community

Social media is a great way of finding groups and like-minded people in your area to connect with, but did you know that Bluefin’s home gym equipment also comes integrated with fitness apps to connect you to other users across the world? Kinomap is the world’s biggest fitness video-sharing platform and has access to thousands of training videos and resources. You can choose to compete with participants from countries all over the world, so no matter what time of day or night you workout, you’ll be able to connect with a workout buddy across multiple timezones!

Keep some perspective

Despite being more connected than ever online, we can sometimes end up feeling more detached and alone.  It’s easy to get into negative thought patterns and think you’re not good enough when you’re bombarded 24/7 with images of photoshopped models and unattainable lifestyles. Focus on what makes you happy and what you want to achieve, remembering to spend some downtime each day off social media platforms. Use the time you’d spend scrolling to do something productive and positive. You could share fitness advice on a forum or write a blog to help others. Use this time to connect with people and you’ll soon feel less alone and more supported in return.

Practice kindness

Essentially, this one is about being kind to yourself. We all miss goals and targets from time to time and we forget to stick to schedules. It’s all part of life and there’s no point in punishing yourself or putting yourself down as this will only make you feel more alone. Make time for yourself each week to do something that you really enjoy. Pamper yourself – take a long hot bath or treat yourself to a massage. Just know that you won’t always feel this way and any goals you did have you can reset for another time.

To find out more about Mental Health Awareness Week, visit https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/. 

You can find details of Andy’s Man Club and your nearest group at https://andysmanclub.co.uk/

We’re supporting mental health awareness week by donating a percentage of sales made May 9th-15th to Andy’s Man Club.