Take time to keep active

Physical activity has a huge potential to enhance our wellbeing. Even a short burst of 10 minutes’ brisk walking has been proven to increase our mental alertness, energy and positive mood* . Whatever activity you like to do, make sure you are taking the time to do it daily.

Make exercise part of your daily routine 

Studies show that physical activity can reduce both the risk for depression and improve the quality of life for people who are suffering with mild to moderate depression. If you are struggling at the moment, take time to make exercise a part of your daily routine and see what benefits it brings.

Increase physical activity 

During times of crisis, it is a good idea to increase your physical activity levels to combat the stress and anxiety. It will have the added benefit of increasing your energy levels and it will help you sleep better. 

Take breaks away from the screen 

With so much of work and business being carried out from home, it is far too easy to spend more time at the desk and neglect our physical wellbeing. Make sure that you take breaks and get away from the screen to do something active. If you can’t get outside for any reason, then try going up and down the stairs for 10 minutes!

Increase your heart rate 

The important thing to measure for it to count as exercise, is whether the activity we are doing increases our heart rate. Many of us will be doing physical jobs and keeping on top of this easily, but if you are sitting still all day then it’s time to challenge yourself!

Useful links for more support

Let's get physical  

How to use exercise 

Home workout videos 

*Ekkekakis, P., Hall, E.E., Van Landuyt, L.M. & Petruzzello, S. (2000). Walking in (affective) circles: Can short walks enhance affect? Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 23 (3), 245–275

If you need urgent help

If you are struggling with your mental health right now, it is essential that you seek help. Talking to someone and explaining how you are feeling could be the first step to feeling better.

If you are feeling stressed, anxious or depressed there are great online resources available to help you manage and improve your mental health.

Don’t suffer in silence with your mental health. There are people ready and willing to help you, to talk to you and to help you to understand what is going on for you right now.

If you feel that you are having a mental health crisis, emergency or breakdown, you need to seek immediate expert advice and assessment. You can call your GP, ring the Samaritans on 116 123 or the Farming Help number on 03000 111 999. You can also follow the links under the ‘Urgent Help’ section here.