Sweat stains, heavy weights and a new found addiction to baggy clothing all supposedly helping the on average one man every minute globally that lose their life to suicide. Suicide in modern society is an under discussed and misunderstood issue, especially amongst men.
Many feel the need to bottle their issues, and simply don’t feel secure enough to confide in peers or guardians. One of the more widely discussed alleviators is physical activity, and specifically weightlifting and though it is by no means substitute for seeking out help and discussing your issues with a trusted friend or relative it can help to minimize anxiety and depression.
On average in 2015 only 65.5% of men met the minimum average weekly goal for physical activity, while only 21% of men attend, with a smaller percentage being able to attend regularly and maintain a healthy routine.
For many young men the source of poor mental health can be low self-esteem, body dysmorphia, excess in free time and lack of hobbies/ purpose outside of university or work life. For many the gym can provide a purpose, and structure for their free time.
If you can stumble across a workout plan you find enjoyable, many of which are more accessible than ever due to the increase of social media/ online training programs found online, then you stand a significantly better chance remaining consistent.
Influencers have been gaining traction through promoting science based, beginner friendly workouts to maximise muscle growth and minimize chance of injury. Even elite tier weightlifters and body builders now very often post their workouts.
When discussing mental health there are gender differences, Allison Dunne, an International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE) registered health promotion practitioner and mental health pharmacist, said; “I wouldn’t say that men’s mental health is worse than women’s, it just presents itself differently,
“Women will tend to, for example, see their GP about anxiety and depression. They talk to their friends about mental health, and they’re much more open about mental health than men will be… But when it comes to diagnosis of severe mental illness like schizophrenia, for example, and also, when we’re looking at suicides rates, men’s mental health is worse from that perspective.
Allison spoke about the positive effects of physical activity on men’s mental health, saying: “In terms of chemistry, doing regular physical activity can increase dopamine and serotonin levels which are known as happy hormones… they help us to feel elated and energized.
Allison outlines the importance of exercise for our overall mental health. Building time in your day around lectures and other commitments for exercise is extremely important and a nessacary commitment to maintain a stronger and positive mental wellbeing.
Parees Patel, 20, a business student at the University of Sheffield, and regular gym goer, highlighted how important the routine can be for him. “It makes me feel a productive human being, If you go to the gym early in the morning, I just feel like I am going to have a nice, productive, healthy day.”
He also spoke about how it allows him more freedom in other aspects in life for instance it enabled him to develop a “healthy relationship” with food.
Parees, has been going to the gym on and off for over 4 years now but has been particularly consistent in the last 18 months. He says it has been “beneficial” for him” mentally”, and how even the social aspects of it have been “extremely motivating”.
Parees goes to the gym around 6 hours a week not including an odd run in a local park. But mentioned that there isn’t too much of a danger of him over exercising, “Well you need a balance, sometimes I’ve got work or if I go and meet mates, so I’m not just going to bin those off to go to the gym, you need rest days too otherwise you just won’t recover.”
This however could lead into another pressing issue for young men, over exercising or even an exercise addiction.
Allison noted that the World Health Organisation “recommend that adults should do up to 300 minutes of exercise per week”.
She also reiterated the huge beneficial outcomes including reduced depression and anxiety, improved muscular fitness, improved bone and functional health and minimized risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke among many other health conditions.
Weightlifting, due to the large rest time between exercises to promote recovery, can end up filling 5 hours a week. In reality it could only fill a fraction of this time and have extremely positive affect on your wellbeing as long as it does not consume your life and you find the ability to strike a balance.
In Sheffield, there are over 20 gyms, many in student areas, majority are walking distance, giving easy access for students to partake in exercise.
Hop down; use it as a force for good as a worthwhile investment to bettering yourself.
Featured Image Credit- Unsplash