I would often come to a point where I felt stressed, mentally blocked or feeling overwhelmed. I first really noticed the mental health benefits of physical activity while studying in university. Personally, and professionally, I know the positive benefits of exercise, yoga and meditation on my mental well being.

The Benefits of Physical Activity on Women’s Mental Health While there are many areas of both work and family life that cannot be changed, there are other aspects that can be altered to help improve your mental health and well being.īecause women are twice as likely as men to develop certain mental health conditions such as depression, eating disorders, and anxiety disorders, it is increasingly important to understand the relationship between physical activity and mental health in women and develop strategies unique to their experiences. However, despite all these challenges, women have the capacity to be resilient and overcome the many uncertainties brought by this pandemic. This is a moment for governments to recognize both the enormity of the contribution women make and the precarity of so many.” “Covid-19 pandemic is not just a health issue, it is a profound shock to our societies, exposing the deficiencies of public and private arrangements that currently function only if women play multiple and underpaid roles. The executive director of the United Nations Women summarizes the effects on women as this: Women make up most frontline health care workers (including nursing and personal support workers), have had to contend with the stresses of home schooling and child care, and the lack of emotional support and connection. Women have been profoundly affected by the pandemic both in the workplace and at home. Last year, a study at CAMH found that “women, people who have lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic, those who are worried about their personal finances, people with children at home, and young people are more likely than others to experience symptoms of anxiety and depression at this time.” Some populations are more vulnerable to the physical and mental health effects of COVID. Struggling with concern over one’s own health and health of loved ones, worry over finances and employment and social isolation resulting from safety measures have taken their toll of people’s mental health. And many Canadians have reported their stress levels have doubled since the onset of the pandemic. According to Statistics Canada, more than 1 million Canadians remain under or unemployed. The pandemic has had a negative impact on communities beyond the number of cases, hospitalizations and deaths. And as physiotherapists and exercise professionals, we also want to provide some education around the benefits of physical activity and mindfulness on mental health, as well as some useful and accessible resources. As we mark International Women’s Day, we want to highlight the need for policies and programs that address the inequalities that have led to less favourable outcomes for women. Women have been especially vulnerable to the physical and mental health effects of COVID-19.

Physical activity and mental health