Take a walk to wellness
How walking, friends and gratitude help TV’S Julia Bradbury keep herself balanced. By Abi Jackson
What do you do in your day-to-day life to give your mind a boost? For Julia Bradbury, there’s little that beats getting outdoors for a bracing countryside hike or stroll around town with a friend in tow (you can find some of her route recommendations through the website theoutdoorguide.co.uk).
The TV presenter is supporting the charity MQ to encourage people to find out a bit more about mental health research, and share some of the everyday things she does to support her own wellbeing.
Here, the former Countryfile and Watchdog presenter, 47, tells us how simple, everyday habits can make a big difference when it comes to supporting our health, inside and out, for both adults and children.
Walking engages body and brain
“Walking is known to change the way we think; there’s something about the motion of walking that connects with the brain, enhances our mood and engages the body while giving us scope for reflection. It doesn’t have to be in the countryside either – but if you can find some green space on your urban walk, that’s been shown to have a positive impact on the way we think and feel as well.
“When I need to think a problem through or I’m feeling a bit low, I’ll take a walk. If I’m in London, I’ll sometimes walk solo once a week, and then with a friend a couple of days a week to talk.”
You feel better after exercise
“When I’m in a bad mood, I really try and push myself to get out there and take a walk or do a yoga class or something, because it genuinely makes me feel better afterwards. The worst thing you can do is stew. Sometimes the last thing you want to do is contort your body or push yourself, but I find that once I get back into the routine of doing a mixture of exercise through the week, then I crave it if I skip a few sessions.”
A few minutes’ proactive thinking time each day helps stay on top of things
“I spend five minutes every day thinking about all the things I’m grateful for (to come, or from yesterday) and make a plan for the day ahead. I wouldn’t call it meditation, but I suppose it’s similar.
“Some days I’m just in a bad mood and that’s it! We all have those days. If it goes beyond a day, I call a good friend of mine who’s a really good listener. Nurturing and valuing friendships is so important, and a very underestimated part of maintaining a good life balance and your mental health.”
We need to look out for children’s mental health
“Social media and email have changed our approach to work and life. People expect an answer straight away and there is no downtime any more. I really try and carve out screen-free time every day.
“I interviewed a child psychologist last year for Radio 4, who described our children as the ‘canaries down the mine’ when it comes to the impact of social media, and it’s frightening.
“Self-harming is at epidemic levels, and MQ have identified that three children in every classroom live with a mental illness. I worry so much about the mental health of my children growing up in this universe, where kids sit on beds texting each other instead of talking.”
We all need to cut ourselves some slack
“We should be kind to ourselves, and try really hard to cut ourselves some slack and dedicate a bit of every day to ‘me time’. People will argue that they don’t have that luxury, but I think in the longer term, you do better for you and your family if you’re fit, healthy and happy (at least some of the time). Mental health is as important as physical health, and just like our bodies – it requires some maintenance.” n
Walking connects with the brain and enhances our mood