Mental Health Awareness Week 2025: Move More - Feel Better

Tracey Langrill
May 7
5 min read

Updated: May 8

This isn't just another 'awareness' campaign. Just look at the figures...

📊 Mental Health Statistics in the UK

Approximately 1 in 4 adults in England experience a mental health problem each year.
Around 1 in 6 people report experiencing common mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression, in any given week.
In 2023, about 1 in 5 children and young people aged 8 to 25 years had a probable mental disorder.
Impact at work: Nearly 10% of UK adults took time off for mental health reasons over the past year, with almost half (45%) of these absences lasting a month or more.
In 2023, there were 6,069 deaths registered in England and Wales caused by suicide, with rates being higher for men (around 75%).

Hopefully now I have your attention, whether you’re managing long-term mental health challenges or just feeling a bit off lately, this week is about recognising that mental wellbeing matters. And sometimes, a gentle shift, like moving your body more, can make a real difference.

More Than Just Exercise

When we hear “movement,” we often think of workouts or gym sessions (great for some, not possible or desireable for others), but movement doesn’t have to be about fitness. It can simply mean finding ways to get your body moving that feel manageable and good for you .

That might look like:

A short walk
Stretching for a few minutes between tasks
Dancing around the kitchen with the kids
Gardening or tidying (in my house, this is never-ending!)
Playing with the dog in the garden

It’s not about doing things a certain way or comparing yourself to anyone else. It’s about noticing what helps you feel 'lighter', even just a little.

Mental Health Is a Whole-Body Experience

We often treat mental health as something separate from physical health, but they’re very much connected. What we feel emotionally can show up in the body, sometimes in ways we don’t even notice at first.

Tense shoulders, headaches, a churning stomach, fatigue can all be signs of emotional stress. And over time, they can take a toll.

Authors and trauma specialists like Bessel van der Kolk (The Body Keeps the Score) and Babette Rothschild (The Body Remembers) have written about how the body stores stress and emotional pain, especially after difficult or traumatic experiences. This doesn’t just apply to major trauma, it can also happen with ongoing stress, burnout, grief, or anxiety.

The good news is: the body can also help us heal.

Movement gives us a way to release tension and reconnect with ourselves. Even simple acts like stretching, walking, or deep breathing can help calm the nervous system and bring a sense of ease.

Why Movement Helps Mental Health

Moving your body, even in small, manageable ways, can offer powerful benefits for your mental wellbeing. Research and personal experience both show that movement can:

Ease symptoms of anxiety and depression
Help you sleep better
Improve your ability to focus and think clearly
Reduce stress hormones like cortisol
Boost feel-good chemicals like endorphins and serotonin
Provide a sense of control and self-care

You don’t have to be “into exercise” to feel these effects. What matters most is consistency and kindness to yourself, not intensity or routine.

Starting Where You Are

If you’re already active that's great, keep going. If you’re feeling low, overwhelmed, or disconnected, you’re not alone. And you don’t need to overhaul your life to start feeling better.

Maybe today it’s just:

Standing outside and taking five deep breaths
Walking to the shop instead of driving
Putting on music and moving for one song
Stretching in your chair while the kettle boils

These small shifts are valid and valuable. Movement isn’t a cure-all, but it can be a gentle step toward feeling a little more like yourself again.

Movement doesn't have to be crazy-wild stuff

Talking About Mental Health—Without Pressure

Mental Health Awareness Week is also about having honest conversations. For some, that might mean sharing something you’ve been carrying silently. For others, it might be checking in with a friend, or just recognising that you’re not okay. And that’s OK.

There’s still a lot of misunderstanding about mental health. People sometimes feel like they have to “keep it together” or that their problems aren’t “serious enough” to talk about. But mental health doesn’t need to reach a crisis point before you seek support.

You’re allowed to ask for help, no matter where you are on the spectrum of struggle.

You Can Bring Your Struggles to Counselling

As a qualified counsellor, I want to say this clearly: whatever you’re going through, big or small, you can bring it to therapy.

I guess I would say that, wouldn't I? It's my line of work. Yes, of course, but qualified/registered counsellors don't go through years of training and unpaid placements because they want to make big money; we do it to try and make some difference to people struggling with their lives, for whatever reason.

With that out of the way, I want to say that you don’t have to wait until things get really bad. Many people come to counselling because they’re feeling overwhelmed, stuck, disconnected, anxious, or simply unsure of what’s going on. You might be facing life changes, relationship issues, past experiences, or a sense that something just isn’t right.

In counselling, you’ll find a safe, confidential space to explore what’s going on at your own pace, without judgment. You can find out more or get in touch at:👉 www.tjlangrillcounselling.co.uk

How to Take Part This Week

Here are a few ways to gently engage with Mental Health Awareness Week:

✅ Move a Little Each Day

Choose one type of movement that feels good for you and try to do it daily, even if it’s just for five minutes.

✅ Check In With Others

A text or short chat can make a difference, “How are you really doing?” can open the door to a deeper connection. Be patient.

✅ Be Kind to Yourself

Don’t pressure yourself to do everything perfectly. 'Good Enough' is usually good enough. Rest and recovery are part of mental health too.

✅ Talk About It

If you feel able, share a bit about your own experience or just say, “I’ve been finding things hard lately.” Openness reduces stigma.

Final Thoughts

Movement isn’t about fixing yourself. It’s about supporting yourself, gently, step by step. When we move our bodies with care and intention, we can shift our mood, lighten our load, and reconnect with the here and now.

You don’t have to go it alone. Whether you need a hand getting unstuck, someone to talk to, or just a reminder that how you feel matters, support is around

This Mental Health Awareness Week, let’s move a little more, talk a little more, and be a little gentler with ourselves and others.

Because we all deserve that kind of care.