Exercise plays an important role in preventing and treating mental health problems, yet 80% of Hongkongers do not achieve recommended levels of physical activity. Mind HK encourages Hong Kong Kong residents to complete 50km in nature this February for their physical and mental health.
(Download full press release here)
#moveitformentalhealth #MoveItHK #50kmNatureChallenge
(Hong Kong, 15 January 2021) For the fourth time, Mind Hong Kong (Mind HK) is running it’s Move it for Mental Health (#MoveItHK) campaign to raise awareness of how exercise impacts physical and mental health. This year’s campaign, supported by Here to Be, lululemon’s social impact program, challenges Hong Kong-ers to complete 50km in nature from February 1 to February 28 2021. Participants who complete and log 50km will be eligible for a prize. In line with this campaign, Mind HK will be launching its new sports and mental health training and hosting a webinar featuring personal mental health stories.
Join now via www.moveithk.com and watch their 2021 Move it for Mental Health video.
Move it for Mental Health 2021 Campaign Video, produced by Capsule48 and featuring lululemon ambassadors Chris Tang, Athena Wong, Alexandria Cheng, and Kieran Rogers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2LAuAO4Nb8&list=PLqGxi75ykJZng8I82WwrHJhLp9LeMj3Xr
Mental and physical health are closely linked, yet over 80% of Hongkongers do not achieve the recommended level of weekly physical activity. 40% of Hong Kong is country parks and many can reach a country park within one hours’ public transportation. However, according to a research report published by Trailwatch and School of Public Health of the University of Hong Kong in 2019, 43.9% of Hongkongers do not visit country parks, and more than 10% have never visited a country park once. Evidence has shown that being in nature has positive impacts on both our physical and mental health – nature promotes physical activities, improves mood and self-esteem, reduces feelings of negative emotions, relieves stress and anxiety, and promotes brain restoration.
“Mind HK’s research in September 2020 revealed that 55% of people in Hong Kong felt their mental health had been negatively impacted during the pandemic. With current COVID-19 restrictions in place, many people have made the most out of a challenging situation and spent ample time outdoors hiking, trail walking, cycling, etc. We believe this is favourable towards both our physical and mental health and want people to realise the mental health benefits of exercising in nature. Being active in nature can help lower stress, increase productivity and improve overall mental well-being.” – Teresa Chan, Clinical Advisor, Mind HK
“In lululemon, we are committed to support the holistic well-being of our community. We believe physical health and mental health are equally important and happy to support our Here to Be partner Mind HK in advocating the importance of physical exercise for mental health .” – lululemon Hong Kong
How to get involved in the Move it for Mental Health 50km Nature challenge
To get involved, people should visit www.moveithk.com to learn more and sign up for the 50km Nature Challenge. Be it by walking, hiking, running, biking, participants should complete 50km+ in nature in the month of February, in order to win a prize from our supporting organisations. Participants can also become a #MoveItHK supporter, by fundraising for Mind HK. For more information, please contact [email protected]
Mental Health Stories event: January 2021
Three of Mind HK’s esteemed ambassadors will share their stories of mental health recovery and delve into how exercise has helped them through this process. This interactive webinar will include discussions on experiences of mental health in the workplace, managing a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, coping with anxiety and depression, managing an eating disorder, and the stress culture in Hong Kong. Event details can be found here.
Sports Training
In honour of #MoveItHK, Mind HK will be launching a new sports training, for fitness instructors and sports professionals, named “Working Out Mental Health: Why mental health and sports: Why mental health in sports and exercise matters.” This 2-hour training, developed and run by clinical professionals, will be available privately and publicly from February 2021.
Safety:
At Mind HK, safety is always our top priority. Given the flu season and Coronavirus outbreak, we ask all ‘#MoveItHK’ participants to take extra safety precautions during this time and follow government guidelines. At all times, we encourage you to take extra precautions: wash your hands before and after working out, wear a mask when in the community or in crowded areas, avoid hiking in groups and in crowded areas, and refer to government guidelines: https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/index.html.
To find out more about the Move it for Mental Health supporting organisations: https://www.moveithk.com/supportingorganisations
Find us on:
Move it Website: www.moveithk.com
Move it Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2LAuAO4Nb8&list=PLqGxi75ykJZng8I82WwrHJhLp9LeMj3Xr
Mind HK Website: www.mind.org.hk
Information on nature and mental health: https://www.mind.org.hk/mental-health-a-to-z/nature-and-mental-health/how-can-nature-benefit-my-mental-health/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/HongKongMind
Instagram: www.instagram.com/mindhongkong
Twitter: www.twitter.com/mindhongkong
High-resolution images can be downloaded here:
Link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1TqlxfTyoXahQxZMr8a6pps6Jw3FXngx9?usp=sharing
About Mind Hong Kong:
Mind HK, established as Mind Mental Health Hong Kong Limited,” is a registered S88 charity (91/16471) committed to improving awareness and understanding of mental health in Hong Kong. They collaborate with other local and international mental health charities and provide online support and training programmes, based on global best practice, to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem and equip them with the resources they need. Through collaborative research, Mind HK is leading the way in understanding mental health problems in the city and providing its population with the right support and resources.
Anyone in Hong Kong who needs help with their mental health can be assured that they are entitled to the full support of Mind HK irrespective of their gender, race, background or beliefs. To be effective and credible, Mind HK operates as a neutral and impartial humanitarian charity without any political affiliations or other conflicts of interest. The work we do, especially our research, is dedicated to improving the health of vulnerable groups and maintaining the best mental health possible for all of Hong Kong. We hope that anyone reporting or commenting on our work will respect and support our independence and neutrality.
About lululemon’s Here to Be Program:
Here to Be is lululemon’s social impact program. Together with our partners, we disrupt inequity in wellbeing through movement, mindfulness and advocacy.
Media Contacts:
For information or interviews, please contact Mind HK
Carol Liang, Communications Manager, Mind HK | [email protected]
Mind HK Media Team | [email protected]
For emergency support please contact the below services:
Samaritans 24-hour hotline (Multi-lingual): (852) 2896 0000
Samaritan Befrienders 24-hour hotline (Cantonese only): 2389 2222
Suicide Prevention Services 24-hour hotline (Catonese only): (852) 2382 0000
More crisis support services can be found here: mind.org.hk/find-help-now
More non-urgent support services can be found here: https://www.mind.org.hk/community-directory/
