Regular physical activity or exercise or sport has been shown to have a hugely positive influence on both physical and mental health.

Being active:

✔️ Helps you to relax and sleep better.

✔️ Gives you more energy and zest for life.

✔️ Helps you recover after a heart attack.

✔️ Gives you a feeling of wellbeing.

✔️ Keeps your heart strong.

✔️ Helps to manage your weight.

✔️ Keeps your joints moving and flexible.

✔️ Strengthens your muscles and bones.

Often, people who exercise regularly do it simply because it makes them feel good. Exercise can boost your mood, concentration, and alertness. It can even help give you a positive outlook on life.

No matter how healthy a person is, there is always room for improvement in some areas of their lives. For example, about 1 in 5 of the world’s population suffer from mental health issues at one or more stages of their lives. Mental illness is among the most common health conditions in the United States, and more awareness is being raised about this being a global problem.

Because sport and physical activity are transversal they can – when delivered with a holistic approach – help bridge the gap between mental and physical wellbeing. Health-enhancing physical activities are therefore a cost-efficient and underutilised driver for human health across the European Union.

After experiencing the restrictions and adverse effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, you may be more motivated than ever to develop programmes focusing on the important contribution of physical activity to physical and mental recovery among your participants. This may even lead you to work with HEPA as a resource for patients who suffer from other conditions, including depression, autism spectrum disorders, or Alzheimer’s. 

The purpose of this module is to offer you actionable solutions to achieve and sustain healthy behaviour changes among your target groups in a welcoming environment.

Module 1 of  ‘s Health-Enhancing Physical Activity (HEPA) & HealthyLifestyle4All online course will help you: 

🔹 Overcome the stigmas: Talk about mental health stigmas and identify the impact of physical activity on mental health and wellbeing

🔹 Break down the barriers: Understand how to cater for differences and facilitate a positive environment to enhance mental wellbeing

🔹 Escape the silos: Understand how to work with stakeholders to support individuals in a multidisciplinary approach

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Glossary of Key Terms

Wellbeing

Wellbeing is ‘a positive physical, social and mental state’. The World Health Organisation defines wellbeing as a positive state experienced by individuals and societies. Similar to health, it is a resource for daily life and is determined by social, economic, and environmental conditions. Wellbeing encompasses quality of life and the ability of people and societies to contribute to the world with a sense of meaning and purpose. Focusing on wellbeing supports the tracking of the equitable distribution of resources, overall thriving, and sustainability. A society’s wellbeing can be determined “by the extent to which they are resilient, build capacity for action, and are prepared to transcend challenges”

WHO Glossary of Terms, 2021

For our purposes, we are focusing on mental wellbeing.

Mental wellbeing

Mental wellbeing does not have a single universal definition, but it does encompass factors such as:

🔹 The sense of feeling good about ourselves and being able to function well individually or in relationships;

🔹 The ability to deal with the ups and downs of life, such as coping with challenges and making the most of opportunities;

🔹 The feeling of connection to our community and surroundings;

🔹 Having control and freedom over our lives;

🔹 Having a sense of purpose and feeling valued.

Of course, mental wellbeing does not mean being happy all the time, and it does not mean that you won’t experience negative or painful emotions, such as grief, loss, or failure, which are a part of normal life. However, whatever your age, being physically active can help you to lead a mentally healthier life and can improve your wellbeing.

Stigma

“Stigma has been described as a sign of disgrace which distinguishes the person from others. In the context of mental health, it usually involves the use of negative labels to identify people as different.”

Source: See Change

It is important to become aware of stigma as a form of discrimination experienced by people because of their mental health problems. It can act as a barrier to seeking help, speaking out and recovery.

About the contributors

Name	Profession	Organisation	Country
Prof Niamh Murphy🔗	Senior Lecturer and Leader of the Centre for Health Behaviour Research	South East Technological University	🇮🇪
Lone Brink Rasmussen🔗	Consultant	DGI Storkøbenhavn	🇩🇰
Hanna Christensen🔗	Project Leader, ABC for Mental Health	DGI Storkøbenhavn	🇩🇰
Dr. Aisling McGrath🔗	Assistant Lecturer in Department of Sport and Exercise Science	South East Technological University	🇮🇪
Rose-Marie Repond🔗	Researcher	European Physical Education Association (EUPEA)	🇱🇺

Let’s get to the core of the content.