Children’s Mental Health Week: Skipping Rope for Mental Health

February 1st-7th marks Children’s Mental Health Week here in the UK, and in the spirit of raising awareness the London charity Supporting Humanity has partnered up with jump rope coach influencer Rush Athletics, founded by Rushie Shah, to help tackle children’s mental health concerns during the pandemic.

Supporting Humanity, a mental health charity based in East London covering funeral director work and bereavement counseling during the pandemic, has helped organize this year’s theme of “Express Yourself” – in the hopes that this idea can encourage young people (and their families) to learn a new skill while addressing issues they might have yet not known how to deal with.

As the pandemic continues, with England in a national lockdown, it becomes more important than ever to ensure the mental health of our children are understood and safeguarded. With strict social distancing rules and physical interaction with other friends or peers cut down drastically, Supporting Humanity and Rush Athletics hope that jump rope skipping can be one of the solutions to help gain physical and mental health.

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Jumping rope has many benefits, and for this week’s Children’s Mental Health Week these organizations are hoping that we can all learn from and benefit from physical activity, which can help in some of these areas:

• Increases energy: Regular physical activity such as skipping increases the blood flow throughout your body and improves your cardiovascular health and fitness – this allows for more blood and oxygen to get to the body providing you with more energy in your everyday life.
• Reduces Stress: Skipping with intensity produces endorphins which are chemicals in the brain that act as natural painkillers.
• Reduces anxiety: Jumping rope can help people with panic disorders and other anxiety conditions skipping and can be a proactive way to release pent-up tensions and reduce feelings of fear and worry.
• Provides Perspective: Jumping Rope can give you those ‘AHA’ or breakthrough moments as your mind is relaxed and your mind can wander whilst you skip – its like a form of meditation when you skip.
• Boosts Confidence: If you jump rope consistently you will start getting and seeing results that naturally will make you have more confidence – results such as a leaner and healthier body as well as the ability to learn new skills and tricks that you never thought you could do!
• Helps Overcome Addiction and Depression: Studies have shown that consistent Jump Rope training can help people overcome addiction and depression.
• Improves Mental Sharpness: Skipping helps with the development of the left and right hemispheres of your brain which further enhances spatial awareness, improves reading skills, increases memory, and makes you more mentally alert.

Idris Patel, the founder of Supporting Humanity, stated about this week:

Mental health is on the rise, and as a charity we are getting more and more referrals every day. We know how keeping fit helps with mental health – and this collaboration with Rush Athletics is to inspire, motivate and get people fit. This is a fun thing and we hope all the family can get involved and become a part of people’s lifestyle.” 

Following this, Rushie Shah of Rush Athletics also stated: “I am delighted to be partnering up with Supporting Humanity. I have always spoken about Mental Health and how skipping can help but if it can highlight the charity’s work and at the same time raise awareness about mental health, it makes my job even more worthwhile.”

To learn more about Children’s Mental Health Week, click here!

You can also learn more about this specific event on Instagram here and here.