We’ve had a year unlike any other in living memory. A global pandemic, national lockdowns, domestic and international travel restrictions, inevitable economic impacts and the subsequent fall off in social interactions and relationships have had a dramatic impact on mental health.
For many, the consequences have been tragic. Provisional suicide data from the Office of National Statistics shows that suicide rates have increased in 2020 [1]. Further data from the same source suggests that rates of depressive symptoms had increased from around 9.7% of the population to 19.2% [2]. It’s important to say that this is provisional data, but one thing is clear – the trend is an upward one, which isn’t a good thing.
There’s a way out though. In this article we’re going to show you how evidence proves exercise and activity can be used to boost mental health.