Healthy Mind, Healthy You Challenge Week 1- Exercise

Welcome to Week 1 of our Mental Health Challenge! This week, we're focusing on exercise, an important pillar of both physical and mental well-being. Regular movement does much more than strengthen muscles and improve cardiovascular health—it also has a powerful impact on mental health. Exercise helps reduce stress, anxiety, and symptoms of depression by releasing endorphins and other feel-good chemicals in the brain. It can also improve sleep, increase energy levels, boost self-confidence, and provide a healthy outlet for managing life's daily challenges.

The good news is that exercise doesn't have to mean intense workouts or spending hours at the gym. The recommended amount of exercise is at least 150 minutes each week, but even small amounts of movement can make a meaningful difference. Activities like walking, stretching, dancing, gardening, or simply moving in ways that feel enjoyable can help improve mood and support emotional resilience. The key is finding movement that works for you and making it a regular part of your routine.

This Week's Challenge: Add movement at least 3 days this week. You can choose from the following activities or come up with a different movement activity that you enjoy:

• Go for a 30-minute walk (preferably outside)
• Stretch for 10 minutes before going to bed
• Dance to feel-good music
• At home chair yoga

Complete this simple checklist to track your progress, hold yourself accountable to your goal, and reflect on how this week’s activities impacted you.

Remember, progress is more important than perfection. Every step, stretch, and dance move counts toward supporting your mental health. We look forward to hearing how you choose to move this week! You can share your experience and engage with other participants on our Facebook challenge page.

Kick off the challenge on the right foot by joining us for a 1-mile walk with nurse Marisa Hardy on September 14^th at 11:30am! We will meet at the main entrance of St. Peter’s Health (2475 E. Broadway St.)

We also encourage you to participate in the NAMI walk Sunday, September 20^th 12:30-2:30 to help raise awareness and funds for Montanans with mental health conditions!

Join our SPH Challenge Facebook page for more resources, support, and connection during the challenge.