Health & Fitness
Healthy bodies and healthy minds go hand in hand. It’s when they fall out of sync that the problems begin. If trying to make sense of your head has put your body goals in free fall, our survey shows that you are far from alone
From Crossfit to cardio, park football to pilates, any activity that lifts your heart rate is proven to raise your mood, too. Which is great, in theory. But the pursuit of fitness is a joint endeavour of mind and body; when your head refuses to comply, simply finding a way to get out and active can become a catch-22 situation.
“Anhedonia – the condition of losing interest in things that once made us happy – is common with depression,” says Dr Winwood. “Abandoning a fitness plan is a key sign that someone isn’t coping.”
The drawbacks of this extend beyond seeing those hard-won abs disappear. Allowing your mental and physical fitness to be sidelined can have serious health implications – research suggests that men suffering from mental ill-health can slash between 15 and 20 years from their lives due to related complications.
Searching for succour in indulgence rather than exertion is a key factor. Whatever your poison – be it alcohol, sugar or pornography – overdoing it will perpetuate the stress response, says Dr Winwood. This, in turn, leads to greater levels of anxiety and depression. “After a hard day, there’s perhaps nothing nicer than a pint,” he says. “But coping through food, drink or tobacco isn’t sustainable. Subconsciously, you’re using these destructive behaviours to reward stress.”
As ever, balance is key. Debauchery may have well-publicised complications, but cutting calories and obsessing over body image can be harmful, too. “Across the country, we’re seeing a significant rise in eating disorders and body dysmorphia in men,” says Dr Winwood. “This is no less damaging a mental condition than that of seeking solace in overconsumption.”
Here, we look at some of the most common complaints from UK men, the best ways to circumnavigate them and tools to unify body and mind once and for all.