Men’s Health Month is an annual observance every June that encourages men and boys to implement healthy living habits in their daily lives. According to government statistics, 82% do not meet physical activity guidelines; 76% don’t have a healthy diet; 35% don’t get enough sleep; and 29% of men in Canada are obese. Physical fitness and mental health have a strong interplay. Improving one has positive impacts on the other.
There is an age-old trope that men do not reach out for help, but a new study from the Men’s Health Forum proves it to be false. The study noted that 91% of men who took their lives in 2017 had been in contact with at least one frontline service/agency and two-thirds (67%) of them had been in touch in the three months before their death. It’s not the men that are not “speaking out”, we are not listening.
Apart from improving the resources for men’s mental health, men can also work towards better mental health through daily exercise. A study by Lawrence Robinson, Jeanne Segal, Ph.D. and Melinda Smith, M.A. showed that simply running for 15 minutes or walking for an hour a day can reduce the risk of major depression by 26%. It also helps promote growth and connections for nerve cells in the hippocampus, the part of the brain that helps to regulate mood.
5th Canadian Division Support Base Gagetown is committed to promoting a healthy lifestyle through the numerous sports competitions/events held annually and have resources such as the New Brunswick Military Family Resource Centre, base chaplains, and emergency service that provide mental health support.
For more resources on Health, wellness and spiritual services to CAF members and their families visit: Health, support and casualty services – Canada.ca
For Mental health support for CAF members and their families visit: Military Mental Health. You’re not alone. – Canada.ca
The 27th of June is also PTSD Awareness Day, for more information and resources please visit: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – Canada.ca
Second Lieutenant Raghav Sharma
PHOTO CREDIT: CPL KATY BROUILLARD ©2023 DND/MDN CANADA.