Mental Health Awareness Week and the Outdoors
What is Mental Health Awareness Week?
Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW) happens every year in the UK. Across the country, organisations and communities come together to focus on mental health. The week aims to increase awareness and reduce the stigma around mental health to help us understand that we all have mental health. There are many ways to get involved in this annual campaign: fundraising, organising or joining events, and sharing your own updates on social media.
Here at HandiWorld, we find that the themes for Mental Health Awareness Week are often interwoven with all that underpins why we do what we do. Creating innovative ways to help people and families get outdoors camping, paddleboarding, kayaking, and spending time together is the whole reason we are here.
Themes for the week are set in advance by the Mental Health Foundation who started MHAW back in 2001.
Themes for MHAW:
2024: Moving more for mental health
2023: Anxiety
2022: Loneliness
2021: Nature
2020: Kindness
Getting outdoors and moving more
Linking with the theme choices, it’s well documented that spending time in nature can be beneficial for our mental health, and in recent years, there has been an increase in evidence that being more active also has a positive effect on our wellbeing.
Often, a stumbling block with modern lifestyles is finding the time to build activity into our everyday lives and actually finding something we enjoy that works for us. For some, it’s walking, for others it might be marathon running! Research by the Mental Health Foundation shows that 36% of adults struggle to find time to move more in their lives, that’s more than a third of us! With time constraints a real issue for many, it’s important that the small amount of leisure time we have is spent wisely.
Camping
We’re huge fans of camping & caravanning here at HandiWorld. Spending time with friends and family in the great (often wet) outdoors helps us to rest and refuel. Adventures with those closest to us not only boost our moods but also remind us what we spend the working week working for.
Walking
Walking and hiking are great activities to bolster physical and mental health. Knowing our own limits and doing what works for us as individuals is the key to success here. Walking is often overlooked as an exercise, but it can raise heart rates, improve moods, and reduce stress.
On the water
Lots of our customers enjoy spending their leisure time being active out on the water. Whether it’s kayaking, canoeing, surfing, or paddleboarding.
Paddleboarding is a great way to move more for your mental health, get physical exercise and connect with nature. If you are new to paddleboarding, then now is a great time to get started. Its popularity is certainly showing no signs of slowing down. Part of the appeal is how accessible and affordable this pastime can be in comparison with some other water sports.
Check out our ‘Paddleboarding for Beginners’ blog here: Stand up Paddle Boarding for Beginners – HandiWorld: Roof Racks | Roof Bars | Inflatable Roof Rack
Or if surfing is something you’re eager to try, then read: Surfing for Beginners – HandiWorld: Roof Racks | Roof Bars | Inflatable Roof Rack
Will you be taking part in this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week? If so, let us know on our MHAW social media posts about how you are getting involved and what you do to look after your mental wellbeing.
