Surprising link found between going to the gym and mental health

Three quarters of gym goers report improved mental health, says a new study, which also shows more than half of people who go to the gym do so to combat illness.

New research shows that more than half of people who go to the gym do so to fight illness, and three quarters believe that staying fit improves their mental health, writes The Guardian.

The findings come as hundreds of thousands of people across the UK hit the gym, pool or leisure center as part of their New Year’s resolution to improve their fitness.

The results of a survey commissioned by ukactive, which represents fitness operators, found that 55% of gym members believe their gym membership is important in helping them cope with a short- or long-term health condition.

And more than three in four (78%) said going to the gym had a positive impact on their mental health and wellbeing, while two thirds (66%) said they found exercise helped them sleep better.

“It is clear that more people are realizing the true value of an active lifestyle and its role in leading a fulfilling life,” says Huw Edwards, chief executive of ukactive. “It’s great to see people getting such important benefits from physical activity, and more people are now looking at fitness centers and recreational facilities as places in the community that can really help them look after their health and wellbeing.”

Around 10.3 million people in the UK go to a gym. Early January usually sees a spike in people joining because they’ve decided to try to get better, but not everyone sticks to the habit.

“Increasing activity and achieving a healthy weight is known to bring long-term benefits to people and their communities,” said Matthew Fagg, NHS England’s director of prevention and long-term conditions, commenting on the findings.

Britain’s National Health Service uses physical activity as a key element of its programs to help diabetics manage their condition, smokers quit smoking and overweight people lose weight, he added.

Huw Edwards has called on ministers to do more to support the fitness industry, especially with a record 2.6 million Britons currently unable to work due to illness.

Employers should be able to offer employees gym memberships or home fitness equipment as a benefit and then claim the expense through taxes, he said. He also called for a review of value added tax to encourage gym memberships – as Ireland has done – and reform of business rates to encourage more gyms, swimming pools and fitness centers to open.

Andy Bell, chief executive of the mental health think tank, said: “Physical activity has been shown to benefit our mental health. And people living with a long-term physical disorder are twice as likely to experience mental health problems. However, access to recreation and green spaces is uneven, and people with the poorest mental health often have the least access to opportunities for physical activity.”

But David Minton, a leisure industry analyst, said gyms were doing too little to attract more 16- to 34-year-olds who are most likely to become members of this group. They should also target older people with high cholesterol or musculoskeletal problems, he said.

“As a species, we are very poor at learning the simple behaviors that have been proven to improve our healthy mobility. The fitness industry needs to take a new approach to both language and marketing to reach a wider audience, Minton said. – In January, many new people will gain a sense of purpose while improving their healthy mobility. The sector needs to turn these members and customers into fans and ambassadors, helping them to lead more active lifestyles.”