Why Leisure Centres Matter for Mental Wellbeing

This week is Mental Health Awareness week, a week long campaign by the Mental Health Foundation that takes place every year in May. This year, it’s taking place from Monday 11th May - Sunday 17th May. The aim is to highlight the importance of positive mental health and challenging some of the stigmas and promoting some realistic actions that people can take to improve their mental wellbeing.

One of the most important things that we can do to look after our mental health is regular physical activity. We see every day first hand how much of an impact physical activity has on our mental health. This week we want to bring awareness to the importance of mental health and how exercise can play an important role in looking after our overall wellbeing, including our mental health. The theme this year is “Take Action” because awareness is very important, but action is what leads to real, lasting change. It’s a reminder to take action for yourself, take action for someone else, and take action for all of us.

Mental wellbeing looks different for everyone, for some a run on the treadmill can help, for others a yoga class or a swim may help. It’s all about finding whatever makes you feel better. Movement can help to reduce stress, improve our sleep, boost confidence and create routine. All of these things are important parts of looking after our mental health. Community spaces like our centres can help massively, and our centres are part of our communities daily routines. They help foster social connection and reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness, which is also important.

Leisure centres can help support beginners, older adults, people returning to exercise after illness or injury, parents and people wanting more structure or routine. We offer a wide range of ways to stay fit and active. These include; swimming, group exercise classes, state of the arm gyms, spa facilities, wellbeing programmes and cardiac rehab/health partnerships. Click here to find out more about what community projects we offer for our local community.

Remember, small steps count. You don’t have to go all in or push yourself every single time to start prioritising your wellbeing. Little steps add up over time, so listen to your body and be kind to yourself.

This isn’t about pushing intense exercise or fitness goals. If you’re starting a new fitness routine, we’d always recommend speaking with a healthcare or fitness professional first. We understand that conversations around exercise can feel sensitive or triggering for some people, including those with experience of eating disorders or exercise addiction. Our aim is simply to encourage gentle movement and healthy habits that can support mental wellbeing, mood and emotional balance. If you’re concerned that you or someone you know may be exercising in an unhealthy way, support and information is available through Beat.