#NEMovement – Big dollops of optimism!
As we continue to run with #NEMovement, here our CEO Clare Morley discusses the importance of the campaign and why it’s equally important for us to take care of our mental as well as physical wellbeing, now more than ever:
“It has certainly been a strange few weeks and months for the North East, with different levels of restrictions due to Coronavirus hitting our region and changing on a regular basis.
We entered North East specific restrictions on 18th September, followed by a change to Tier 2 restrictions on 1st October in line with the new national tiered structure. And then on Thursday 5th November, we moved into a new national lockdown, albeit one that looks a little different to that which we entered in March, particularly due to schools remaining (largely) open.
Our ability to engage in sport, physical activity and movement has been variously impacted by the differing restrictions, and it will undoubtedly still face some constraint after 2nd December when we move into the next set of as-yet-unknown restrictions. But throughout all of the local and national restrictions, one thing has remained absolutely constant: the value of movement for our wellbeing.
For this reason, we have launched the #NEMovement campaign as part of our goal to spread the word about the importance of movement and its benefits on our physical and mental wellbeing, particularly during these uncertain times.
The aim of #NEMovement is to inspire and motivate people in our local North East communities to either remain or become physically active during the second lockdown, and beyond, by way of any movement, in any place, at any time.
Whilst becoming or remaining physically active is, at any time, so important for our physical and mental health, at this current time, as we head into a North East winter under the cloud of coronavirus, it’s more important than ever that we prioritise looking after ourselves, and also that those around us - our employers and our families – recognise this and allow us all the time and space to find a way to move that works for us.
It’s common knowledge that there are benefits to our physical health from physical activity (reduced risk of diabetes, reduced risk of cardio vascular disease etc), but perhaps what needs to be really dialled up at the moment is the awareness of the mental wellbeing benefits of movement. Whilst some people might think that this relates to more obvious mental health conditions such as diagnosed anxiety and depression, and feel that this therefore doesn’t relate to them, actually, what are perhaps the key messages about the benefits of moving more at the moment are linked to things that we can all relate to.
There is strong evidence that it helps to improve sleep quality, provides us with a greater sense of optimism, can support with stress management, and helps to put us in a more positive mood generally. I don’t know anyone at the moment who would say that they wouldn’t benefit from a great big dollop of good quality sleep and optimism!
So, whilst what we can actually do in terms of keeping moving may be restricted, once again, the powers that be have highlighted that getting out of your house to be physically active outside is still allowed. You can do this on your own, with one other person, or with your support bubble. You can choose your own pace - walking, running, cycling, pushing, scooting, paddling, surfing.
Being outside for your daily exercise is great, particularly if you can time it whilst it is still light outside (employers – take note and give your team some leeway). If you prefer to stay indoors there are loads of great resources online that you can access, or just turn on the radio and dance around the kitchen to your favourite tunes. It really is about any movement, any place, any time. Just make sure you celebrate your achievements: tell your family, tell your friends, tell the North East - #NEMovement.”