Exercise and Mental Wellbeing for Parents
Being a parent can be wonderful and lonely at the same time. Your days are full of people, yet you can go a week without a proper conversation about how you are. Your own health slides to the bottom of the list. This post is about exercise and mental wellbeing for parents: what movement can realistically do for how you feel, and how to make it part of a life that’s already full.
First, an important note. I’m a personal trainer, not a doctor or therapist. Nothing here is a diagnosis or a treatment. If you’re struggling with your mood, anxiety or how you’re coping, please speak to your GP. The NHS also has a free resource called Every Mind Matters, with a short quiz that builds a personalised Mind Plan and practical guides on stress, low mood, anxiety and sleep.
Exercise and mental wellbeing for parents: what the NHS says
The NHS lists five steps to mental wellbeing:
- Connect with other people
- Be physically active
- Learn new skills
- Give to others
- Pay attention to the present moment
On being active, the NHS says it can support mental wellbeing by raising self-esteem, helping you set and achieve goals, and causing chemical changes in the brain that can help lift your mood. It also points out you don’t need to spend hours in a gym: find something you enjoy and make it part of your life.
What I like about this list is that exercise doesn’t have to sit on its own. Done the right way, a single session can touch several of these steps at once.
One workout, four steps
Here’s how a normal week of training can line up with the NHS steps, without adding anything extra to your to-do list.
Be active
The obvious one. The NHS adult guidelines suggest 150 minutes of moderate activity a week plus strength work on at least 2 days. That can be built from walks, a couple of strength sessions and playing actively with your kids.
Connect with people
Training with others gives you regular, low-pressure contact with adults. You don’t have to talk about anything deep. A chat before class about whose toddler is refusing to nap is connection too.
Learn a new skill
Learning to squat well, doing your first full push-up or swinging a kettlebell properly are real skills. Noticing yourself improve at something just for you, rather than for work or the family, can feel good.
Be present
It’s hard to worry about the week ahead while you’re focused on your breathing in the last 20 seconds of a plank. For many parents, a workout is one of the few times their attention is fully in one place.
Small, realistic ways to start this week
When your mental energy is low, big plans tend to fall apart. Start smaller than feels necessary:
- Take one walk without your phone in your hand. Ten minutes round the block, noticing what’s around you.
- Do one short strength session at home. My post on a 10-minute workout for busy parents has one you can do in the living room.
- Arrange movement with another adult. A walk with a friend while the kids scoot, or a class you go to together.
- Write down one thing that went well after you exercise. It helps you notice progress that isn’t about your body.
Be kind to yourself about it
Exercise should be something that helps you, not another thing to feel guilty about. If a week falls apart because a child is ill or work is mad, that’s normal. Start again with something small. My post on mum guilt and exercise talks about the guilt many parents feel taking time for themselves, and why looking after yourself is part of looking after your family.
If you notice exercise starting to feel compulsive, or you’re using it to punish yourself, that’s worth mentioning to your GP too.
When to get more help
Exercise can be one part of looking after your mental health, but it isn’t a substitute for proper support. Please speak to your GP if low mood, worry or stress are lasting, getting worse, or affecting your daily life. You can also use NHS Every Mind Matters for self-help tools.
If you need help urgently, the NHS page on where to get urgent help for mental health explains your options: use 111 online or call 111 and select the mental health option, ask your GP for an urgent appointment, or call 999 or go to A&E if a life is at risk. Samaritans are available on 116 123.
Where a small-group bootcamp fits
I started SYP Bootcamp for parents in Archway who wanted somewhere friendly to move, with other mums and dads, without the pressure of a big gym. Classes are 45 minutes, indoors, capped at 10 people and open to all fitness levels. Nobody is shouted at, and every exercise has an easier option.
It won’t fix everything, but for lots of people it becomes a regular bit of the week that’s just for them. You can see this week’s class times on the SYP Bootcamp booking page.
FAQs
Can exercise help with mental wellbeing?
The NHS includes being physically active as one of its five steps to mental wellbeing, saying it can raise self-esteem and help lift mood. It works best alongside other support, not instead of it.
How much exercise do I need to feel the benefits?
There’s no magic number for mood. The NHS adult guideline is 150 minutes of moderate activity a week plus strength on 2 days, but starting with short walks is a perfectly good first step.
Should I see a GP before exercising if I’m struggling mentally?
If you’re struggling with your mental health, it’s a good idea to talk to your GP anyway. They can advise on support and on any health issues that might affect exercise.
Take the first small step
If you’d like a welcoming place to move with other parents, book my £15 class or WhatsApp me on 07301 512215 to ask anything first. If a group feels like too much right now, private 1-1 personal training in Archway is a quieter way to start.
About the author
Artem Olekhnovych is a personal trainer in Archway and the founder of SYP Fitness and SYP Bootcamp. He has coached clients in Archway, Highgate and across North London for over 10 years, and runs small-group bootcamp classes for busy mums and dads. Read reviews from his 1-1 clients.
