This week is Mental Health Awareness Week and the theme for this year is Kindness. Whether you take this week as an opportunity to reach out to those in your community and provide support or relief, even if just for a moment during isolation or you choose to take this week to be kind and focus on yourself. Remember, you are not alone. Kindness towards one another helps reduce stress, brings a fresh perspective and deepens friendships.
Sport plays an essential role in boosting our mental health. Sport and physical activity has a wide range of health benefits – for your mind and body, and for your social and emotional wellbeing. The British Army Mental Resilience Training (MRT) and the Army Mental Health Awareness Briefs (AMHAB), delivered as part of the OPSMART is just as important now as it has ever been. The MRT and AMHAB course content has been repurposed for virtual training delivery. Over the course of this campaign the OPSMART team will post bite-sized chunks from each course on the British Army Website, The Health and Deployability website of AKX and the Army Health & Wellbeing website on Defence Connect. Take a look at what the Army are saying about Mental Resilience.
Despite everyone being in lockdown and Army Sport cancelled until 30th June, athletes are still finding ways to keep fit and exercise during this time. For example, the Army Rugby women’s team completed an 82,000 burpee challenge at the beginning of the month. Army Cycling are completing their virtual races every Wednesday via the online platform Zwift, and Army Athletics have established a virtual competition. More can be seen here.
If you would like to get involved with Mental Health Awareness Week have a look at the organisations website and use the hashtag #KindnessMatters on social media.
UK Coaching have provided an free online course available until August. Click here for more details.