Mental health reasons are the main motivator for gym time
A survey from The Gym Group identifies supporting mental health as one of the top reasons for gym visits for young people.
The findings from the nationwide fitness chain found those aged 16 to 34 years said mental health is an important motivation for going to the gym.
When asked for their top three reasons for going, those in the 25 to 34 age group were most likely to put mental health as being their number one incentive, with those aged 16 to 24 most likely to put it as one of their top three.
This year the theme for Mental Health Awareness Week (13 to 19 May) is “Movement: Moving more for our mental health”.
The Gym Group is supporting Better Health-Every Mind Matters for Mental Health Awareness Week to help more people make healthy changes with exercise. Every Mind Matters is a campaign and digital resource, delivered by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). Their resources provide a range of simple, NHS-approved self-care tips and tools that help people make self-care a priority in their daily lives.
Better Health programmes focus on driving long-lasting behaviour change, and The Gym Group has always been committed to helping people build lasting habits of regular gym visits.
In 2023, average member visits per month increased by 10 per cent compared to 2022, showing that more people choose to prioritise their gym routines.
Around 1 in 4 adults experience at least one diagnosable mental health concern every year. Whilst regular exercise and movement can support more positive mental wellbeing, it is reported that 4 out of 10 adults are not currently meeting NHS-recommended physical activity guidelines.
Health minister, Maria Caulfield said: “Exercise is incredibly important to help maintain good mental health.
“Our Every Mind Matters tool offers fantastic self-help advice including exercise tips, and tailored Minds Plans that build resilience and help people cope with life’s challenges. I encourage everyone to use it, whether it be to boost your mood, improve your sleep or deal more easily with mild stress or anxiety.”
To mark Mental Health Awareness Week, The Gym Group is offering free day passes, when you enter the promo code ‘free’ at thegymgroup.com