The benefits of being active when living with a brain tumour

Being active when living with a brain tumour can help your body and your mind. Activity can be anything from a short walk, gentle stretching or gardening, to an exercise session at the gym. The benefits of being active when living with a brain tumour are not just about fitness. Being active may help ease symptoms of the tumour, reduce treatment side effects and improve mental and emotional wellbeing.

Benefits of being active when living with a brain tumour

Even five minutes of gentle exercise can make a difference: People living with a brain tumour say staying active helps them feel:

• more energy
• less pain
• better sleep
• less long-lasting fatigue
• an improved sense of wellbeing
• an increased appetitite
• less anxiety
• fewer symptoms of depression.

Activity ideas when you have a brain tumour

Always consider how you feel before starting an activity. Symptoms of a brain tumour and its treatment can have a huge effect on physical and mental abilities, such as your strength, balance, self-confidence, mood and energy levels.

If your level of fitness is low or if you are feeling unmotivated, weak or tired, you should start with  a low-impact activity or exercise, such as walking, gardening or yoga. Activities don’t always have to be physical. Mental activities, like puzzles or reading, and relaxation techniques, such as mindfulness or breathing exercises) can support your wellbeing.

If you’re feeling anxious about going outdoors, there are lots of options at home. You could take on new hobby such as baking or doing art. If you want to do more exercise, try yoga DVDs or YouTube videos, an exercise bike, or hand weights and kettle bells. 

If your activities are home-based, remember that going outside is also good for your mental wellbeing. So, try to get outside and take in some vitamin D.  Even 10 minutes in the garden or a short walk can be beneficial.

We also encourage a flexible routine – for instance, if you’re feeling up to it, add in an extra swim per week to replace a walk, or maybe look for a board game club or yoga session instead. Mixing up your routine can help you stay stimulated and motivated.

Brain tumours have a huge mental and physical burden. Doing something positive, whether it’s a new hobby, increasing your exercise or volunteering, can help you feel more in control.

Tips from our community

By joining one of our Online Support Communities, you can get more tips about living with or beyond a brain tumour diagnosis from people who truly understand what you’re going through.

Find out more

Join our community on Facebook

Our closed Facebook groups are a great place to connect with other people affected by a brain tumour and share exercise tips.

Online brain tumour support groups

Top tips for starting an activity safely

If you are new to exercise or haven’t been leading a particularly active lifestyle lately, speak to your consultant or GP before starting. Remember that it’s important to start slow, you don’t want to accidentally overdo things by doing too much too soon.

• Staying hydrated is really important. To keep yourself in tip-top condition, make sure you always have a water bottle with you and drink little and often whilst doing a physical activity, as well as before and after.
• Before starting any physical activity, especially exercise, take time to warm up and cool down afterwards by stretching. This will prepare your body for exercise and greatly reduce your risk of injury.
• Don’t forget to rest in between your activity – taking on too much can do you more harm than good. Professional athletes take rest days once or twice a week for physical and psychological recovery.
• Mix it up! Walking is a great place to start, but why not try other activities such as yoga, cycling or dancing to keep things interesting? You could also add longer walks into your routine once or twice a week, walking at a different pace or tackling some hillier terrain from time-to-time.
• Make sure you have fun! Being active should be an enjoyable experience, not a chore, so if you’re really not getting on with a particular type of activity after a few goes, give something else a try instead.
• Being active  is much easier if you’re doing it with a friend and you’re more likely to keep it up if someone else is relying on you to be there. Would someone be your walking buddy?

If you feel ready to progress to jogging, why not try something like the NHS Couch to 5K plan. Designed for beginners, the weekly running plans will help you get started.

It’s also important to know that some GPs can refer people with medical conditions to exercise organisations and gyms. So, if this sounds like it would be beneficial to you, talk to your GP about your eligibility.