Sports and exercises for good mental health
As millennials that grew up in the internet age, we’ve faced challenges that our parents and previous generations haven’t had to deal with. This requires a different outlook to those in the past, simply ‘getting on with it’ is no longer good enough.
We’re the most globally-connected generation and therefore, more exposed to what’s going on in the world – which includes the bad parts. To stop ourselves being overcome with anxiety and panic, it’s important to maintain a healthy balance of work and ‘play’ – that doesn’t focus on drinking alcohol or spending vast amounts of money.
My knowledge of mental health leads us to believe that a person’s stress capacity is based on a number of things within our immediate control and some elements that take much longer to deal with - and that people use different strategies (knowingly or not) to empty this container.
Whilst meditation and mindfulness may remove a large amount of this container’s contents; I believe that the ‘sediment’ that’s left, can only be removed by physical movement (somehow related to the increase in serotonin). This is where only physical sports come in.
‘Rolling’ (sparring) sessions at a class in 2018. Still a white belt after a long break from training.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) or ground-based martial arts
My number one sport for good mental health is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Most commonly referred to as BJJ, this martial art is a ground-based sport which emphasis technique over brute force and aggression. The Hiatus team have been training in BJJ for around 10 years and it’s now a staple of good mental health strategy.
It’s no wonder that it’s been so heavily embraced by the celebrity community – the likes of Margot Robbie, Henry Cavill, Demi Lovato, Tom Hardy and Keanu Reeves all are well-known celebrities that don a Gi and roll on a regular basis.
Further reading:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/women-who-stray/201412/the-psychology-brazilian-jiu-jitsu
https://bjj-world.com/jiu-jitsu-therapy-for-mental-health/
https://www.jiujitsutimes.com/mental-health/
Mountain biking
Another source of serotonin is a good blast around the woods or by the sea. This doesn’t have to be a flat-out sprint, but a decent pace that will get the blood moving really lifts our mood.
If you’re based near London, check out Swinley forest (https://www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/leisure-services/look-out/swinley-forest/go-out-your-bike) – where you can hire a decent full-suspension bike with dropper post for around £50. We’ve long deliberated on whether it’s better to own or hire a mountain bike and believe that if you’re not doing it every other weekend, it works out cheaper to hire. An added bonus is that you don’t have to spend precious time cleaning or repairing it afterwards.
Mountain biking is a great social sport, in that there are many different ways to ride a trail and routes that lead many different directions. The post-ride buzz is infectious when shared in a group, and the rush to confirm another ride often follows.
Further reading:
https://www.mbr.co.uk/news/mtb-mental-health-383742
https://www.mbr.co.uk/news/mountain-biking-mental-health-371357
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-46958995
https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/mtb-and-mental-fitness
Going mountain biking in the snow of beautiful Tallinn, Estonia, Nov 2022.
Climbing
Yes, on the face of it – climbing can appear like an expensive sport with high-barriers to entry. But it can in fact, be remarkably low when you start shopping around (nb we don’t advise beginners purchasing second-hand safety gear) – charities like Esteem https://esteem.org.uk and Youth Adventure Trust http://www.youthadventuretrust.org.uk exist to help young people to get into this and other similar sports.
Because your natural fear is not to drop (as it doesn’t feel natural), you mentally push your muscles and body slightly harder. – which we suspect utilises a degree of cortisol (we’ve yet to find medical evidence of this yet).
Further reading:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2019/07/11/what-are-the-mental-health-benefits-of-rock-climbing/
https://www.climbalongsidementalhealth.org
https://www.climbing.com/people/out-on-a-ledge-the-mental-health-benefits-of-climbing/
https://climbingformentalhealth.com
http://www.youthadventuretrust.org.uk
https://www.lifehack.org/375506/rock-climbing-can-boost-your-mental-health-science-says
Surfing or open water swimming
On the face of it, Surfing seems like a no-brainer, right? Well, it does when you conjure up scenes from Point Break when you see Johnny (Utah) and Bodhi ripping along clean 6 footers – however the reality in the UK is that you’ll be wandering around Watergate bay in Cornwall wondering why you keep on tripping over the leash before you’ve got anywhere near the water.
But surprisingly, we don’t think that the enjoyment from surfing and open water swimming doesn’t come from riding dream lines over turquoise breaks, but the post-surf / swim high you get when you get out of the water (most often freezing cold in the UK) and start to warm up.
I believe there’s something to be said for braving the cold water and then getting out and warm again.
Further reading:
https://www.surfertoday.com/surfing/how-surfing-improves-your-mental-health
https://www.vice.com/en_nz/article/8x544k/why-are-surfers-so-chill-how-surfing-impacts-mental-health