Mental health is an essential part of overall health and wellbeing. It influences how people think, feel, relate to others, and manage the demands of everyday life. It is also closely connected to how people participate in their communities, maintain relationships and cope with everyday challenges.
Physical activity has an important place in this context. Regular movement can support mood, energy, self-efficacy and social connection, as well as contributing to physical health. For many people, being active can provide structure and routine, a sense of progress and achievement, and opportunities to spend time with others.
This broader understanding of physical activity is particularly relevant for the fitness and physical activity sector. Gyms, fitness clubs, studios, leisure centres and community-based providers create regular opportunities for movement, routine, support and contact with others. They also reach people across different ages, backgrounds and levels of experience.
Beyond exercise: the importance of the environment
The experience of being active, however, is influenced by more than the activity itself. Mental wellbeing is shaped not only by movement itself, but also by the setting in which movement takes place. The atmosphere of a fitness facility, the behaviour of staff, communication, programme design and interactions between participants can all affect how people feel when they take part.
For some people, fitness spaces provide structure, encouragement and a sense of progress. A welcoming environment can help people feel comfortable, build confidence and develop a regular routine. Group activities can also offer opportunities for social connection and a sense of belonging.
For others, fitness spaces may feel intimidating, overly appearance-focused or shaped by narrow assumptions about performance, body image and success. Exercise and fitness culture can sometimes create pressure, comparison, anxiety or feelings of exclusion. The quality of the environment therefore matters greatly for mental wellbeing.
A special attention to children and adolescents
These considerations are particularly relevant for children, adolescents and young people. Early experiences of physical activity can influence confidence, wellbeing and attitudes towards movement across the life course. Creating supportive environments for younger participants therefore requires attention to their developmental needs, as well as appropriate safeguarding practices.
Supporting the sector with practical guidance
These considerations formed the basis for EuropeActive’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Guide, developed as part of the #BEACTIVE DAY 2026 project.
The Guide brings together current evidence relating to physical activity, mental wellbeing, fitness environments, safeguarding and inclusive practice, with a focus on practical application in everyday fitness settings. It explores three broad areas: how fitness environments, organisational culture and everyday practices shape mental wellbeing; individual experiences of physical activity, including potential benefits and possible risks linked to exercise and fitness culture; and the experiences of children, adolescents and young people.
Written by Prof. Dr Richard Peter Bailey, Dr Ra'ed Ali Mohammaed Al-Khamaiseh and Dr Nadia Samsudin of UCSI University, the Guide also includes Expert Insight contributions from Dr Karlie Intlekofer, Global Research Scientist and certified personal trainer at Matrix Fitness. The foreword is provided by former world number two and Eurosport tennis expert Alex Corretja, who shares his personal perspective on staying active for physical and mental wellbeing.
Available in 10 languages across EuropeActive’s network and partner channels, the Guide is designed as a working resource for gym owners, managers, trainers, instructors and other professionals. It can be used to review current practices, support staff development, strengthen safeguarding and signposting procedures, and consider how the overall participant experience can better support mental wellbeing.
The Guide does not provide clinical mental health advice. Its purpose is to help fitness and physical activity providers understand the role they can play within their professional scope and take practical steps towards creating environments that are safer, more inclusive and more responsive to mental health and wellbeing.
Explore the Mental Health and Wellbeing Guide here!
Join the campaign!
Through its 2026 mental health and wellbeing focus, #BEACTIVE DAY is bringing this conversation to fitness and physical activity organisations across Europe and encouraging the sector to consider what it can do to make participation a positive experience for everyone.
#BEACTIVE DAY is open to everyone. Gyms, universities, community centres, outdoor sport spaces, personal trainers and any other organisation or individual can take part by organising a free and inclusive activity. Organisers join a Europe-wide campaign promoting physical activity as a powerful tool for mental health, wellbeing and social connection.
