04 Jan Keeping active for your mental health during the lockdown

Scotland will enter its second national lockdown on Tuesday 5th January in an effort to prevent further infections of COVID-19 as the roll out of the vaccine takes place over the coming weeks and months.

Leaving home will only be permitted for essential reasons and it’s important that outdoor exercise has been recognised as being essential. Unlike the previous lockdown, there won’t be a limit on the number of times you can partake in it, as long as you do it “as close to home as possible”, you do it with no more than one other person, and that you “stay at home as much as possible” around this exercise.

But the reason why exercise is considered essential is because it has so many benefits to not only our physical but our mental health. When we exercise our body releases endorphins into our brain to make us feel happier, more relaxed, and boosts self confidence and improves overall wellbeing. Find out more about the benefits of exercise to your mental health HERE.

A great way to keep motivated to exercise during the lockdown is to take part in an online campaign. Here are a few of the most high profile ones below:

Paths For All Scotland are encouraging people to sign their pledge to walk once a day this Winter. You can learn more about their pledge and how to take part HERE.

Doddie AID, inspired by former Scotland rugby player Doddie Weir, asks people across the world to pick a team (The South, Edinburgh, Glasgow, North & Midlands and the Exiles) and walk or run as many miles as they can throughout January and up to the first week of February. This is to raise money for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation which funds to aid research into the causes of Motor Neurone Disease and investigate potential cures, and to make grants to individuals suffering from MND, to enable them to live as fulfilled a life as possible. To take part and learn more click HERE.

Rural Mental Health is holding a #Run1000 event throughout January to fundraise for mental health support for rural communities, with the teams divided into Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland and the rest of the world. The Scottish team are raising money for RSABI (The Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution). To take part click HERE.

However, if you aren’t able to take part in outdoor exercise due to self isolation, the NHS has a number of videos to keep you active when indoors HERE.