May kicks off mental health month, with a focus on action in 2026.
As well as Mental Health Month, May also brings National Walking Month and what a better way to take action on your mental (and physical) health than stepping up to take action through movement!
Walking is one of the simplest ways to move more – it’s free, accessible and easy to weave into your everyday routine.
Just 10 minutes of walking outside is enough to increase our alertness and mood. Research has found that people who are inactive have three times the rate of moderate to severe depression of active people. Regular physical activity can reduce your risk of depression by up to 30%. Being outside and getting some natural daylight in the first hour of waking, regulates your circadian rhythm (your body’s internal clock).
It is scientifically proven that regular physical activity and exercise can make us healthier and happier. When we’re active, the body releases feel-good hormones that can improve our mood and boost our energy. Regular exercise can reduce the risk of developing heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, dementia, arthritis and musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions, some respiratory diseases such as asthma, and some cancers.
Higher daylight exposure improves cognitive performance. A real world study led by the University of Manchester neuroscientists also found that participants were able to maintain focused attention and 7-10% faster reaction speeds.
Sometimes it can feel difficult to fit more activity into an already busy day, but small changes can make a big difference. Here are some simple ways to build extra steps into your routine, without feeling like you have to force a walk or take up running:
- Mow the lawn
- Put a hoover around the house / office
- Park at the furthest end of the car park to the office, supermarket etc.
- Don’t take your trolley back to the closest trolley park
- Take a trip around a garden centre
- Take the stairs instead of an escalator or lift
- Go for a shopping trip or food shop
- Arrive to work 5 mins earlier and take a short walk or take a 5 min walk before driving home
- Add 5 minutes to your dog walk (I’m sure the dog won’t say no to an extra 5 minutes of sniffs!)
- Take the kids/grandkids to the park
Every May, the Essential team get involved in National Walking Month and this year we thought why not take action by walking for mental health charities?
We’ve split into three teams, each walking for a different charity. Every step will count! There are 1st, 2nd and 3rd place spots – and the more steps your team logs, the bigger the donation they’ll unlock. The team with the highest step count by the end of the month will secure the largest contribution for their chosen charity.We’re walking for:
Team 1: Mind
Team 2: Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM)
Team 3: Young Minds
Move for a cause
Living Streets #Try20 Challenge – Encouraging you to take a daily 20 minute walk.
Living Streets ‘Walk Out’ for National Walking Month – Encouraging women to get out for a daily walk in May. Did you know research shows that walking can reduce a woman’s chance of getting breast cancer!
Cancer Research’s jog 31 miles challenge OR their Swim 10k challenge if you fancy a different type of activity!
Join a community
Join a free running plan brought to you by the NHS. On this plan you are encouraged to run 3 times a week. Find out more here.
Join a local walking club in your area with the Ramblers Association. Sometimes it’s just better when you do it with friends!
If you enjoy a challenge and want to make your day a bit more fun, give our walking bingo a try!
