May is mental health awareness month. Did you know that 1 in 5 people will experience a mental illness during their lifetime? At PFF, we are raising awareness of mental health this month (and every month) and helping educate people on how to lead a healthier and happier life.

GET MOVING–

gitamini the following robot was created to get people moving more. With gitamini, it’s easier to get up and get outside. To live more life on foot. With a 20 pound cargo carrying capacity, gitamini allows users to get outside and walk, bring all of their necessary belongings with them, and still be hands-free. Walking instead of driving is not just better for the environment, it’s also better for your health. More walking leads to a cleaner environment and a clearer mind.

There are so many benefits of walking:

• Improved sleep

• Stress relief

• Mood improvement

• Increased energy

• Improved cardiovascular health

Walking increases your blood flow and circulation to the brain and body which helps boost your mood. This blood flow has a positive influence on your central nervous system which is responsible for your stress responses. In short, walking calms your nerves, leading you to be less stressed and have an overall better mood! In fact, according to a 2019 study published in JAMA Psychiatry, walking for an hour a day can reduce your risk of major depression.

GET OUTSIDE—

Walking in general is great for overall health, and walking outside is even better. According to a study conducted in 2019 by the University of Chicago, green spaces near schools promote cognitive development in children and green views near children’s homes promote self-control behaviors. Adults assigned to public housing units in neighborhoods with more green space showed better attentional functioning than those assigned to units with less access to natural environments.

Additionally, in another study conducted by the University of Washington, there is evidence that contact with nature is associated with increases in happiness, subjective well-being, positive affect, positive social interactions and a sense of meaning and purpose in life, as well as decreases in mental distress.

gitamini can navigate on all sorts of terrain such as hills, gravel and grass so you’re free to walk wherever you please. Also, less carrying means you’re no longer limited in how far you can travel by what you can carry on foot, expanding the walkable radius around your neighborhood. This month – and throughout the rest of the year – make yourself a priority and get some fresh air with gitamini.

Sources:

• Nature and Mental Health: An Ecosystem Service Perspective
  Bratman, G.N., et al., Science Advances, 2019

• A Mendelian Randomization Approach for Assessing the Relationship Between Physical Activity and Depression
  JAMA Psychiatry. 2019;76(4):361-362. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2018.3870