GIVE YOUR MIND A LIFT
It’s official: a strong body correlates with a stronger mind, according to the latest science. Shift some weight to get a grip on your mental health
Why shifting heavy metal can help you bulk up your mental well-being
The next time you’re in the gym, take a look around you. One in eight British men are battling mental ill-health, with some estimating that the true figures are far higher. Among them will be men you see in the squat rack, on the cable machine and in the changing room. Luckily, you and your fellow lifters are in the right place, because adding kilos to your barbell can give you strength in every sense.
According to researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine, the more muscle strength that men have, the less frequently they think about suicide. The team analysed data from nearly 9,000 adults, who squeezed a gripper to record their maximum strength and disclosed how many times they had thought about taking their own life in the previous fortnight. For every additional 5kg that the men could grip, their likelihood of suicidal ideation decreased by 16%.
Men are less likely to seek therapy than women and tend to have less social support from friends and family. After a year like 2020, it’s understandable that we might feel mentally fragile, too. Muscling out depressive symptoms is now one solution – and it could even save a life. So, while you work on opening up about your mental well-being, double down on the heavy metal.