1. 7% of Australians aged 16-85 experience a mental health disorder at some point in their lives.

This translates to about 8.6 million people,

Also consider that , 21.4% ( or approx 4.2 Million) of Australians suffer from a mental health challenge in a given year

LETS HOLD ONTO THAT FOR A MINUTE .

MANY OF US EXCERCISE BECAUSE WE WANT TO LOOK GOOD

-SOMETIMES FOR OURSELVES

BUT OFTEN TIMES TO ATTRACT OTHERS .

OTHERS OF US EXCERCISE BECAUSE WE WANT TO LIVE LONGER OR PERHAPS FEEL BETTER PHYSICALLY

BUT MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE

exercising regularly because it makes them feel better mentally .

Its becoming more and more evident as time passes that

exercise can benefit your mental health in -powerful ways which include—— managing hormones and chemicals in one’s brain, such as serotonin which helps with mood and memory , in addition to stress hormones and endorphins which also are associated with feelings of happiness ,

Exercise can also help with concentration, Energy levels and alertness.

It can even help give you a positive outlook on life.

Regular exercise also has been proven to help you sleep better which in turn manages your mood

Physical activity can be an outlet for your frustrations and help you improve your sense of control, coping ability and self-esteem by accomplishing goals .

Exercise can distract you from negative thoughts and provide opportunities to try new experiences.

It offers an opportunity to socialise and get social support if you exercise with others.

This relationship has been found in children, adolescents, young adults, adults and older people, and in both males and females.

Studies have also found that Physical activity can be an alternative treatment for depression.

It has few side effects and does not have the stigma that some people perceive to be attached to taking antidepressants or attending psychotherapy and counselling

( THE BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) from the USA recommend that clinicians consider exercise as a core treatment for depression

In fact Studies, including those published in the journal of the American Medical Association indicate that exercise can be as effective as cognitive behavioral therapy or medications in reducing depressive symptoms.

Still yet other studies have found that  engaging in as little as 35 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week, compared to zero minutes per week, was associated with a 41% lower risk of developing dementia over an average four-year follow-up period

Two people who have insight in this area and have made it their life’s work to help people in this space are joining us here today .

Mark Cox is a personal trainer and runs a business called wolf fitness

Dorothy Wannenburg a Sole trader who is Yoga Spot with Dot. Dorothy is a Level 1 registered yoga teacher with Yoga Australia and a registered teacher with Meditation association of Australia. Dorothy works across the spectrum of life from 0 to 100 she works within her local council in Community centre wellbeing programs, with adults in stress releasing programs, and she is a registered yogability carer with NDIS.