Busy mums will benefit from running or exercise to help them reduce stress and anxiety. Christina Collison explains. The benefits of running for mental health are well documented. When I was the Editor of Women’s Running magazine, I met and spoke to many women who used running to help them manage their mental health as well as getting fit. It wasn’t just a case of running to lose a few pounds or feel fitter. While that was important for some, many women I spoke to enjoyed running because it helped them unwind and improved their mood, enabling them to combat stress. For many women, it helped them cope with the ups and downs of being a mum. It’s hardly surprising that so many mums rely on exercise to reduce stress. Research from the University of Bath and the University of Melbourne released in 2024 showed that mums carry a lot of the mental load in the household. The research showed that 70 per cent of mums manage household tasks such as planning and organising tasks to keep the family household running well. In addition, it found that mums take on 79 per cent of daily jobs like cleaning and childcare. No wonder we’re burned out and stressed! Encouragingly, research showed that working mothers who do exercise like running reported better mental health compared to those who were inactive. There’s even online groups for mums who run including This Mum Runs – a supportive community where mums are encouraged to run to get moving, rather than focusing on speed or performance. As a carer for my late mum, who had dementia, I found running a great source of comfort. Anyone who cares for a loved one with dementia will know that it’s a huge challenge, with unpredictable events occurring frequently. You…
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