Instinctively, we already know what a growing body of research is telling us: being active is good for our mental health.
This issue, many of our articles focus on the steps we can take to support students’ mental health, and the links between activity and improved mental well-being.
‘Teach Resiliency, One Year In’ looks back at 12 months of progress on this project to support the mental health of students and teachers. The site, developed in collaboration with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and Western University, offers new research, engaging articles, programs to use in class, blog postings, topical podcasts and other tools to equip educators for success.
Our ‘Teacher to Teacher’ column suggests practical ways educators can incorporate more mindfulness into their classrooms.
The first of the issue’s two peer-reviewed articles, ‘The Impacts of an Olympics Wrestling Program on the Academic Achievements, Physical Health and Overall Well-being of a 13-year-old Indigenous Youth’ establishes compelling links between the case study’s activity level and her mental health.
Of course, the relationship between physical mental health is a two-way street. The second peer-reviewed article, ‘Using Instagram to Nurture Relatedness Amongst Girls in Physical and Health Education,’ examines how a socially supportive learning environment may encourage activity among peer groups.
And finally, the subject of our Community Spotlight in this issue, Joyce Sunada, is living proof of the importance of walking the walk and finding the time to take care of both our physical and mental well-being.
We hope you enjoy these articles, plus many more, in this issue of the Journal!