May 13th to 19th marks Mental Health Awareness Week 2024. This year’s theme is movement.
Our mental health is just as important as our physical health. Movement has been proven time and again to be beneficial for both. To mark this year’s mental health awareness week, we’re looking at how we can inject some movement into our gaming!
Previous Mental Health Awareness Weeks
Mental health is an issue near and dear to our hearts. Themes from previous years include anxiety and loneliness. If these are things which affect you, take a look at our mental health blog posts from yester years. Every MHA post ends with a collection of links to organisations that can help, should you need to reach out.
2022
2023
What is Mental Health Awareness Week
The Mental Health Foundation was founded in 1949. Since then, they have been leading the UK in building better mental health, through providing resources, researching and developing more effective support, and running national campaigns, like their Mental Health Awareness Week.
If you’d like to learn more about the MHF, you can visit their website below.
MHA Week 2024: Movement
This year’s theme is movement. Making time for regular movement in your daily routine can increase your energy, reduce stress and anxiety, and even boost your self-esteem. From dedicated gym time to a one-minute dance party while the beans cook, it’s all going to help.
Now, adding movement into your daily routine can be a tricky or insurmountable task, as the perception is we should be waking up an hour earlier than usual and immediately be able to run 5K+. You simply can’t, that’s not sustainable, and you’re likely to quit before you even begin. The key is to make your movement goals achievable.
As such, the focus for this year’s theme is #MomentsforMovement. The MHF has a nifty PDF you can download with great tips on how to do this, but the TL;DR is:
- Set small, achievable goals with room for progress
- Take a break from sitting
- Make your movement fun
- Use your movement to connect with others
- Move in nature
- Try something new
- Plan things to look forward to
- Listen to music that gets you moving
Of course, you don’t have to use the whole list, but these are all a great starting point for creating #MomentsforMovement.
Movement and Gaming
Finding these moments will likely fall in your free time. As gamers, our free time is spent, well, gaming. So, we’ve come up with a couple ways to get movement into our gaming – without even breaking flow.
Electric Standing Desks
By adding a height adjustable desk to your set up, you can easily tick off take a break from sitting and set small achievable goals. You don’t even have to stand still – get into the groove of the battle or stretch during long cut scenes. The controls are usually on the front for easy access, and with just the press of a button you can transition from sitting to standing.
Tying in the small goals, you can start by just standing for five minutes. Then after a while, you can increase it to ten minutes or the number of times you switch to standing. Whatever suits you best. Plus, it’s not limited to gaming either. Electric standing desks are great if you work from home or generally spend a long time at your desk and computer.
Nitro Concepts D16E Electric Adjustable Sit/Stand Gaming Desk
- Height adjustable desk
- Increase height by up to 50cm
- Electronic controls
- Headset holder included
- Carbon Black design
VR Gaming
VR gaming will certainly add a little extra movement to your gaming! It’s fun, you can schedule some VR multiplayer action with your friends, and games like Beat Saber will absolutely get the blood pumping! I see four things ticked off the list in that sentence alone.
Once upon a time, getting movement into your gaming meant playing Wii Fit, Xbox Kinetic games, or even the PlayStation EyeToy titles (really showing my age, there!). VR is ever evolving and has games covering a wide variety of genres. You can get some movement in without resorting to party games and competitively cleaning windows. (Ngl, I have spent many a joyous hour on Wishi Washi and you can’t take that away from me.)
Naturally, some VR games are going to involve more movement than others, but there is sure to be a VR title out there that fits your gameplay style and movement needs. Just be sure to take regular breaks and stay hydrated!
HTC VIVE XR Elite All-in-one XR and PC-VR Gaming System
- All-in-One and PC-VR headset
- Headset and two controllers included
- Up to 110-degrees field of view
- 3840 x 1920 combined resolution
- Depth and G-sensors
Coming to VR
If you’re new to VR gaming or are even just looking for new titles to try, why not follow our Coming to VR series? Rob is our resident VR fanatic, and he showcases a different game every month!
How Do You Add Movement To Your Gaming?
Now these are just two ideas on how to get more movement into your gaming. If you have any other great tips or suggestions, please share them in the comments below!
Make Sure You Reach Out
One final serious note, if you are struggling with your mental health: reach out. It can be a trusted family member or friend, or even a dedicated charity. There are plenty of organisations and helplines designed to provide support for those in need. We’ve got just a few listed below.
Charities You Can Contact
Helpful Resources
Feel free to share others in the comments below and we’ll add them to the list.
- 6 min read
Emily Haylock
Author
Emily is a board and cosy gamer, keyboard obsessive, and content copywriter for Overclockers UK. She has been with Overclockers UK since 2020, writing about everything from noblechairs to 8Pack PCs. She writes from within her desk nest with a foster pup at her feet. (What, a desk duvet is a totally normal thing!) In her downtime, she likes to play board games, farming sims, and old-school Final Fantasy. IX to be specific. It is the best, and that is a hill she will die on.
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