Today is World Mental Health Day, and the team here at DMP strongly support breaking the stigma that surrounds mental health and wellbeing.
We’ve found a few websites that could be really beneficial for those who might be having a tough time.
Exercise Right:
THE CONNECTION BETWEEN PHYSICAL & MENTAL HEALTH
Posted at 07:00h in Mental Health
We all have mental health, and we all know how much it matters. Some days we feel like we’re pro surfers on the wave that is life. Other days, it feels like we get dumped by the exact same wave and eat sand. The World Health Organisation defines mental health as “a state of well-being in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his/her community”.
When you’re in a state of good mental health you are able to maintain a sense of calm, control and well-being, despite the ups and downs that the week throws at you. It’s this mental resilience that gets worn away when we don’t engage in activities to maintain our good state of mental health and well-being.
An important part of having good mental health is knowing that your mental health isn’t always good. It is normal to experience transient fluctuations in emotions and feelings in response a situation. It’s also normal to experience both ‘good’ and ‘bad’ moods.
It’s when we experience these bad moods for prolonged periods that a mental health condition may be diagnosed.
EXERCISE RECOMMENDATIONS:
Different types of exercise may illicit different responses, both physically and mentally. While no one type is better than the other, it is important to have a balanced exercise diet! Doing a mix of resistance training and and aerobic training is always recommended. Remember, the best type of exercise is the one you actually enjoy doing!
A recent study suggests that exercising for 30-60 minutes, 3-5 times per week is associated with better mental health. Activities such as team sports, cycling, aerobic exercise and gym have the highest associations with good mental health.
Resistance training (aka strength training) has shown to have a significant impact on reducing depressive symptoms when done for bouts of 45 minutes or less. This is particularly true when supervised by an exercise professional (like an Accredited Exercise Physiologist).
Book in with one of our DMP Exercise Physiologists!
Move with a mate:
Our experienced exercise physiologist will lead you and a friend through a personalised exercise session tailored to your health needs, injuries and movement dysfunctions.
Be smart, move well!
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Gwen EstigoyExercise Physiologist
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Alex BateExercise Physiologist
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Deb EvenissExercise Physiologist
Gwen Estigoy
Gwen Estigoy
Gwen has a background working with adults and children with Arthritis and has extensive training with treating and managing various chronic pain conditions. With her extensive knowledge and hands-on experience, Gwen is a compassionate and skilled professional who seeks to make a lasting impact on the lives of those she works with. Gwen is dedicated to empowering individuals through exercise to improve their overall health and well-being. Adopting a bio-psychosocial approach, Gwen is committed to providing exercise interventions that are evidence based to achieve the best possible health outcomes.
One of Gwen’s particular areas of interest is creating inclusive and safe exercise spaces where everyone can access the benefits of exercise and movement. Gwen has experience working with vulnerable groups and individuals, including the LGBTQIA+ community and people from different cultural/religious backgrounds.
Outside the clinic, Gwen enjoys playing futsal, planning the next cook on the smoker/bbq, and exploring scenic routes on her motorbike.
Alex Bate
Alex Bate
Alex has worked as an exercise physiologist for nearly a decade in a number of private practices, seeing patients across a wide spectrum of physical abilities and exercise needs.After moving to Dynamic Motion, Alex spent time developing our exercise physiology services and building our seniors exercise class program.
He has previously been involved in a research team at University of Sydney which specialised in high-intensity exercise in older populations and people with chronic disease, where he ran a clinical trial examining resistance exercise in pre-diabetes and depression. His clinical background largely covers athletic strength and conditioning, particularly weight training; exercise in older individuals; and exercise for chronic conditions, particularly cardiometabolic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.
He believes you’re never too old to exercise, and that keeping a habit of strength training is crucial for healthy ageing and adding life to years, as well as years to life. He is passionate about teaching people to do this safely, in a way that suits their circumstances and preferences, while addressing any specific health issues they may have.
For recreation Alex enjoys staying active by training for powerlifting, muay thai, recreational mountain biking, and exploring the Sydney outdoors with bushwalking and scuba diving.
Deb Eveniss
Deb Eveniss
Deb began her health and fitness career working as a personal trainer after obtaining her Certificate III and IV in Fitness. Here she developed a keen interest in healthy aging, falls prevention and cancer and exercise. Deb then decided to further her knowledge and experience by further study and becoming an exercise physiologist.
Deb has a keen interest in helping those with cancer, neurological conditions such as MS, HD, PD and stroke and brain injury survivors. More recently she has been researching and treating fatigue conditions including Long Covid, ME/CFS, POTS and EDS. Deb strongly believes that “movement is medicine” and wants to help people enjoy all that safe and healthy movement can bring.
In her spare time Deb is heavily involved in parkrun, soccer, trail running, hiking, kayaking and raising two very busy teenagers.
World Mental Health Day – 10 October