LIFELINES

“LifeLines is a monthly column dedicated to addressing issues of mental, behavioural, and social health. The column appears on the 1st weekend of the month, and is written by professionals in the field of social work, mental health, and community medicine”.

By Katharine Collier

It’s almost 6 months since many of us set our New Year’s Resolutions. This is a common half-way point to look back and see if we have been meeting our goals. A common resolution is to lose weight and get in better health. There many aspects of health; mental health being one of them. Most people are aware of physical health and focus on how to improve it, but fewer people focus on bettering their mental well-being. There are many simple, healthy ways to focus on and improve your mental health. One of these ways, that actually combines improving your mental and physical health, is exercise. Exercising, especially aerobic exercising, for a small amount of time each day has been shown to decrease mild to moderate depression, anxiety and stress and to increase happiness, confidence, self-image and a general sense of peace. Continue reading →