Mind, body and cycling
It is widely acknowledged that exercise is key to your physical health & wellbeing, alongside a balanced and nutritious diet. Still, the mental health & wellbeing benefits tend to be an afterthought.
When you consciously consider the benefits of going for a run or jumping on your bike, it makes complete sense that exercise is a significant contributor to mental wellbeing. It is enriching for your body and mind. You are getting active, taking in fresh air, enjoying varied scenery, and you have freedom. It can be time on your own or a social occasion, and as your cardio improves, you gain confidence.
The gym or workout studio is a facilitator of exercise, as it provides the convenience of working out in many different ways under one roof. Still, in the pursuit of convenience, you lose some of the core mental health benefits of exercise, such as freedom, adventure & fresh air.
1-4 adults will experience a mental health issue any given year
Research undertaken by the mental health charity Mind concluded that 1-in-4 adults will experience a mental health issue in any given year; this exemplifies how important it is to continually look after your mental wellbeing.
The difficulty comes when trying to segway in 3 or 4 rides or runs per week, as it can be tricky in the fast-paced, high-pressure, stressful world we live in. Therefore, you need to alter your way of thinking, from it being something that you need to force into your week to weaving it into your life and making it an integral & valued part of your week to maintain & improve your wellbeing.
Jumping on your bike doesn’t have to be a 100km ride, although they are pretty good fun & you get to see lots more than you would flashing past in a car. It can be as easy as a 30-minute Sunday morning ride, or maybe consider ditching the car & cycle to work instead. A win-win for your health and bank balance.
The knock-on effect of exercise can also provide added physical & mental health benefits, as you will be outside enjoying more natural sunlight, you will be more inclined to maintain better hydration, you will likely eat better to fuel your rides and may provide better, more consistent sleeping patterns.
Employees are the most important asset
Mental wellbeing doesn’t have to be a sole venture. If you are an employer, you can support your employees in many ways to maintain good mental health and everyone will benefit.
Your employees are surely your single most important & valuable asset; by supporting the maintenance and improvement of their mental and physical health, you will be ensuring that you are getting the very best out of your employees. The net result of which means your business will be operating at its optimum. Efficiency is something that many businesses strive to achieve, often investing many thousands of pounds in pursuit of productivity improvements. Failing to appreciate that a new office, coffee machine, a pay rise/bonus, new software or IT equipment may have a marginal gain, but does not materially & sustainably alter the motivation, satisfaction and wellbeing of the human at the heart of the business.
Facilitating this can be as easy as offering a cycle-to-work scheme, discounts at sports retailers, and having a running club/group. You can also do something a little more ‘adventurous’ such as allowing time in the working week to exercise or maybe investing in a pool of bicycles so that your employees can borrow the bikes & get out for a ride. All of this underpins exceptional corporate social responsibility (CSR), supporting employee wellbeing and promoting ‘green’ methods of commuting to work.
You can take the mental wellbeing of your employees to another level by combining their physical attributes with a challenge to push themselves further and, in doing so, raise money for a charitable cause. This will boost their satisfaction of not only feeling physically and mentally enriched but directly contributing to and supporting charities and not-for-profit organisations close to their heart.
Mental health is a very real issue that can impact even the most resilient of us. Even if you feel healthy & mentally strong, you can support the mental wellbeing of your family, friends and colleagues by encouraging them to get out into the open, enjoy a bike ride, soak up the sights & sounds, whilst enriching their physical & mental health.
Discover OnVenture
Speak to the team at OnVenture about booking an active weekend break in Suffolk. There is plenty to choose from, from road and off-road cycling to running, hiking, walking, swimming, and triathlon themed adventures. Plus, we also offer specialist coaching camps, so if you are training for that special event, get in touch.
Web: www.onventure.co.uk
Call: 01473 355 035
Email: hello@onventure.co.uk