How Bootcamp can improve your mental health
Here’s the opinion from one of our BB members, Dilly Wilkinson on how Bootcamp fitness can help improve your mental health. Dilly is a healthcare professional and registered nurse.
“In the ‘5 year forward document’ published by the Department of Health in 2014, the role of exercise in improving health outcomes was described. This included reducing type 2 diabetes, the management of obesity, improving long term conditions both mental and physical.
The role of exercise goes well beyond physical benefits, showing benefits for self-esteem and the well-being of individuals and groups. It is well known that undertaking a group activity with other people improves how you feel about yourself, reduces social isolation and increases the sense of well-being.
On the NHS website there is lots of information regarding exercise programme, including the ‘couch to 5k’. But, when you are isolated and alone, having the motivation and self-confidence to start is very difficult, particularly if there is low self-esteem, a lack of confidence or depression present.
If a group activity is available and easily accessible then members are more likely to engage, encourage each other and continue to attend as they will gain both physically and socially from the experience. Once a group is formed, additional benefits begin to be seen in the form of mutual support, friendships and helping those who are struggling with motivation, as well as this sometimes leading to the group trying to help others outside their group.
“When an individual undertakes physical activity the body produce endorphins, these are the hormones that have a role in pain reduction, feelings of well-being and research has shown they are one of the hormones related to happiness.”
The current national guidance advises 30 minutes of exercise 5 times a week and this should be a combination of cardiovascular and strengthening activities. The boot camp programme includes both types of exercise which will increase general health and contribute to the individual becoming more active in their general life.
In modern life we spend many hours sitting either at a desk, on our sofas or in our cars. We eat a poorer diet than previous generations, experience high levels of stress in our personal and working lives. These factors pose a huge risk to our short and long term health and improving health and well-being through increased activity and improved well-being can transform lives and contribute to reducing the burden on individuals and society for the future.
When an individual undertakes physical activity, the body produce endorphins. These are the hormones that have a role in pain reduction, feelings of well-being and research has shown they are one of the hormones related to happiness. The human body has a positive response to even the smallest change in activity and for those who have not undertaken any activity for a long time, have low mobility or are living with a long term condition, even just walking from one area to another will start the journey to being able to engage more fully into the class.
As the class is designed to offer the appropriate level of exercise to all abilities, the instructors will be able to tailor the level of exercise to the individual’s needs and abilities. It is often that people lose self-confidence and need to be given a safe and supportive environment to be able to begin to regain their self-confidence and gain that sense of well-being.
This programme has the potential to impact on the lives and well-being of a specific group of people who will benefit hugely from the opportunity to have access to high quality motivational exercise classes.“
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