According to a study by the UK charity Mental Health Foundation, 60% admit that anxiety affects their everyday lives. The most recent Britain’s Healthiest Working Place survey found that one in ten workers are affected by anxiety or depression.
However, Vitality data can help prove that physical activity is intrinsically linked to mental well-being.
The Vitality Programme has found that members who exercised at least three times a week had a 10% reduced risk of anxiety or depression when compared to less active members.
Simultaneously active members have a greater chance of improving their mental health over time.
Exercise is prescribed by doctors to people with mild-to-moderate symptoms of mental illness.
A study conducted recently found that running twice to three times per week can provide the same mental boost as antidepressants.
Benefits are obvious, but many people underestimate the amount of exercise needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle. According to ukactive, 75% of Brits underestimate the NHS’s recommendation of 150 minutes of moderate-to-intense exercise. Around 40% of Brits thought that 90 minutes would suffice.
Here are five easy tips to get your staff active.
Physical activity can change the game for many employees who work from home, either permanently or on a flexible basis.
Exercise doesn’t have to take hours. Short,’snackable,’ bursts of exercise – such as a 15-minute workout or a quick jog during lunch – can be beneficial to our health.
It’s important to include physical activity in our daily lives, given our hectic lifestyles. It can be helpful to give staff suggestions on how they can incorporate less structured activities into their weekly schedule.
Is there an area of your commute to work that you could make more active? It could be as simple as getting off the bus a stop earlier or walking to train station instead of driving. It can be as simple as walking up the stairs at work instead of taking the lift. Remote workouts or online yoga classes could be the perfect solution for those who work from home.
What works for one employee might not work well for another. Jonny Kibble, Vitality’s Director of Exercise and Fitness Activity, says: “Just enjoy what you do”. It could be as simple as purchasing a skipping-rope or tossing a Frisbee at a nearby park.
He adds, “Gyms can also be a good place to discover new activities and get expert help.” It is for this reason that a wide range of benefits, from step challenges to gym discounts, will appeal to a wider audience.
Finding motivation and making healthy decisions is not easy for us humans. It is also true for employees. According to behavioural economists, small incentives and nudges are often all that’s required to combat our natural tendency to seek instant gratification.
It has been proven that rewarding employees who participate in the Vitality Programme for doing 10,000 steps just three times a month with a Caffe Nero handcrafted coffee is an effective way to increase their physical activity.
As many offices are embracing social interaction, a lunchtime run or a stroll in the park or around the block can boost morale at work and encourage accountability. If the weather is good, the result is positive and staff can mingle.
Mental health issues are not easily cured, but there are ways to reduce anxiety and depression.
Researchers have found that mindfulness reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression, and Vitality members are testing the theory.
Only a little under a third of Vitality members (27%) who use Headspace have seen their mental health improve over time compared to those who don’t use it.
For those who cannot be prevented from experiencing mental health issues, providing staff with the right treatments, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or counselling, can help employees feel supported while also reducing absenteeism.
