“The nation is clearly in need of an uplift and the summer of sport ahead has the power to give us all the boost we need.”
The ASICS State of Mind Index.
The State-of-Mind Index, developed with the support of mental health charity Mind, asked more than 6000 people across 40 counties to rate their mental state across 10 cognitive and emotional traits.
Average scores across all 10 mental health markers are “mediocre”, with Energised (54), Confidence (57) and Positivity (58) scoring the lowest across the country. Even when looking at the higher scoring traits – composure (61), alertness (61) and feeling calm (60) – Dr. Stubbs added that the middling scores suggested a “feeling of trepidation” across the nation.
That’s why, today, we’re inviting people across the nation to move and see the impact on their own mental wellbeing with the ASICS Mind Uplifter™ tool. Every mind moved contributes to the world’s first live study into the relationship between sport and the mind. Live data can be seen on the interactive World Uplift Map - tracking the positive impact on the collective mood of cities, nations and the world. Furthermore, every Mind Uplift result that is shared with #UpliftingMinds will raise funds for the charity Mind.
The ASICS State of Mind Index has revealed the current mood of the nation, with three-quarters (76%) saying they were in need of an uplift.
Despite life set to return to normal with restrictions planned to lift, the results indicate a general feeling of “uncertainty” according to leading mental health and movement expert, Dr. Brendon Stubbs.
“Following 18 months of setbacks, restrictions and uncertainty understandably this has meant that the mood of the nation is flat. At a time where we are turning a corner with a more positive outlook, the nation is still currently apprehensive, and this is reflected in our general mental wellbeing.”
About Dr. Brendon Stubbs
NIHR Clinical Lecturer, King’s College London.
BSc (Hons) in Physiotherapy, MSc in Neurological Rehabilitation & PhD in Pain Medicine & Rehabilitation.
Expert in physical activity & mental health, the mind-body interface, healthy ageing and meta-research.
How did your county score? Residents of Warwickshire rated their mental state the highest of the 40 counties surveyed with a State of Mind score of 63 out of 100. While residents of Nottinghamshire rated their mental state the lowest with a score of 54 out of 100, and 80% saying that they could do with an uplift.
“The impact of the pandemic on the nation’s mental health has been significant, not least for people with existing mental health problems. We may not know the true impact until long after lockdown restrictions are lifted. The ASICS State of Mind Index is a very welcome addition to our understanding of how the nation’s emotional wellbeing has been affected. We know that there is a strong link between physical activity and mental health, with benefits that include helping with sleep, happier moods, and managing stress. Regular physical activity can actually reduce the risk of depression by up to 30%, so can be a vital tool for us to maintain our mental wellbeing. We’re looking forward to working with ASICS to support more people to get active for the benefit of their mental health.” - Hayley Jarvis, Head of Physical Activity for Mind.
ASICS will also host a series of Uplifting Minds events across the year to help people get involved and prove the power of all sports to uplift the mind, starting with the ASICS London 10K on 25 July 2021.
Move your mind, uplift the world.
We've always believed that moving your body is good for your mind. Now, for the first time, you can see the impact of movement on your own mind with Mind Uplifter™ tool.