Mental health is a top motivation for going to the gym

Survey from The Gym Group identifies supporting mental health as one of top reasons for gym visits for young people 

May 2024: In a recent survey* from nationwide gym chain The Gym Group, young people (aged 16-34 years) said their mental health is an important motivation for going to the gym. When asked for their top three reasons for going to the gym, those in the 25-34 age group were most likely to put mental health as being their number one motivation, with those aged 16-24 most likely to put it as one of their top three.

This year the theme for Mental Health Awareness Week (13th – 19th May) is “Movement: Moving more for our mental health”. The Gym Group has 236 gyms around the country and is offering free day passes throughout the week, inviting more people to visit their local gym to experience the mental health benefits of exercise.

The Gym Group is also supporting Better Health-Every Mind Matters for Mental Health Awareness Week to help more people make healthy changes with exercise. Every Mind Matters is a campaign and digital resource, delivered by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) which aims to equip people to protect and improve their mental wellbeing. Their resources provide a range of simple, NHS-approved self-care tips and tools that help people make self-care a priority within their daily life.

Better Health programmes focus on driving long-lasting behaviour change, and The Gym Group has always been committed to helping people to build lasting habits of regular gym visits. In 2023, average member visits per month increased by 10% compared to 2022, showing that more people choose to prioritise their gym routines. 1 in 4 adults experience at least one diagnosable mental health concern every year.  Whilst regular exercise and movement can support with more positive mental wellbeing, it is reported that 4 out of 10 adults are not currently meeting NHS recommended physical activity guidelines.

Health Minister, Maria Caulfield said: “Exercise is incredibly important to help maintain good mental health.

“Our Every Mind Matters tool offers fantastic self-help advice including exercise tips, and tailored Minds Plans that build resilience and help people cope with life’s challenges. I encourage everyone to use it, whether it be to boost your mood, improve your sleep or deal more easily with mild stress or anxiety.”

Martin Scholes, Head of Operations, The Gym Group said: “It is our founding mission to break down barriers to fitness so that more people can reap the mental and physical benefits of regular exercise. We know that a lot of our members rely on our gyms to support and protect their mental wellbeing and it’s great to support campaigns like Every Mind Matters to inspire even more people to do the same.’