Some say fitness is mind over matter, but true health requires both mind and matter. Mental health is how we think, act and feel; We all have mental health. During Mental Health Month (this May), mental self-care is front-of-mind for us at the YMCA of Metro Denver, especially since we aim to provide workshops and experiences that promote mental health in our community.
Just ask Betsy Schwartz, Denverite and YMCA of Aurora member. “It’s all so connected—mental and physical health,” she shared with us recently. “I can see when I’m looking at the mirror in Body Pump class how much stronger my arms are, which is good for my mental health… There’s also endorphins that release when you really work up a sweat, and so I’ll bike.”
She is not alone. Recent studies have found that physical exercise can significantly improve mental health, and that regular, positive activity boosts cognitive function and can combat depression. This is true not only for older adults, but also for teens and pre-teens.
It’s particularly encouraging to work out in a space where you’re known and appreciated, which is why the YMCA is committed to providing Denverites a safe, encouraging community with opportunities for physical as well as mental self-care. “It’s all the benefits of physical exercise plus the community,” as Betsy has said.
In addition to improving physical health, finding ways to grow social/emotional skills and mindfulness can have other significant health benefits as well. The YMCA focuses on incorporating social and emotional elements throughout our programs. Samantha Church, manager of YMA Out of School Time, manages teams that “build social and emotional pieces into our curriculum and check in with the kids every day. We have conversations about what it means to be a friend and how to express emotions in a healthy way.”
Her team members are also part of regular learning cohorts on trauma-informed care and how to provide kids with consistent emotional and social support.
Because of its importance, our YMCAs also offer a variety of programs focused specifically on mental health, including mindfulness. Betsy and a fellow member Jane recently joined the Y’s Mindful Eating Program and were both surprised about how much they learned to appreciate food and other aspects of life in the process.
“It’s slowed me down a little bit—to be aware,” Betsy explained. “It made me look at food not as a reward or something to avoid, but something to hopefully live with for a long time, slow down, taste it and enjoy… It’s journey and a practice, kind of like yoga.”
“With mindful eating, you start applying the same tactics to other things you do,” Jane added. “It teaches you to appreciate what you have.”
In an increasingly stressful world, it is more important than ever before that we support each other mentally and emotionally to lead happy and healthy lives.
To learn more about our mental health workshops, events and resources at the Y, please visit denverymca.org/mentalhealth.
Amanda-Scates Preisinger, MPH
Senior Director of Health and Well-Being, YMCA of Metro Denver