It’s well known that exercise can improve mental health. However, for some it can be quite a daunting task especially if they’ve never followed an exercise regimen before.
This article will look at some of the following topics:
- How exercise can improve mental health
- The direct benefits of physical exercise on mental health
- Statistics surrounding exercise and it’s link to mental health
- Which exercise is best
Can Exercise Improve Mental Health?
For others who suffer from depression and anxiety (and did not follow an exercise program) starting a program can be difficult. This is due to a low mood and lack of motivation.
Let’s face it, when we’re down and depressed it can be hard to get and stay motivated especially when it comes to exercise or any physical activity for that matter. I know, I’ve been there.
Having a mental health illness/disorder can mess with your thoughts, drain your energy and lower your self-esteem. It can even make making menial decisions seem like a difficult task.
Nonetheless, there are benefits to exercising for mental health. The key is just to take the first step and follow through until the new routine becomes a habit.
Benefits of Exercise on Mental Health
Exercising regularly can reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression and a low mood by:
- Improving self-esteem
- Improving cognitive function
- Alleviating symptoms of social withdrawal.
Surprisingly, exercise can be beneficial for those suffering from schizophrenia (NIH, 2006). These individuals are already at risk for obesity as a result of their antipsychotics.
Schizophrenics that joined a 3-month physical conditioning program showed improvements in:
- Weight control
- Increased fitness levels
- Reduced blood pressure levels
- Increase perceived energy levels
- Increased strength
Some of the health benefits from regular exercise include:
- Improved sleep
- Stress relief
- Improved mood
- Increase in energy and stamina
- Increased mental alertness
- Reduction in weight
- Improved cardiovascular fitness
- Increased sex drive
- Increased endurance
It may not seem like it but most of these items actually play a role in mental health as well. Better sleep has been shown to improve mood and reduce stress, among others.
An increase in energy means there are more feel-good hormones in the brain which also leads to an increased sex drive. This also results in a more positive self-image resulting in higher internal motivation to continued exercising.
Lack of Exercise Also Plays a Role
It should come as no surprise that the lack of exercise also has an effect on mental health.
The lack of exercise (especially when having bad eating habits) can result in the following, but is not limited to:
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure and cholesterol
- Type 2 diabetes
- Metabolic syndrome
Mentally it can lead to a depressed mood, low self-esteem, anxiety and negative self-talk. This may result in limiting beliefs, low motivation and less self-care.
What Exercise Does for Mental Health
So, what does exercise exactly do for mental health? The answer lies in hormones – mostly. Hormones play a direct role on our moods and usually mental health disorders/illness is a result of hormonal imbalances or brain abnormalities.
Researchers at Harvard Health Publishing found that aerobic exercise has a neurochemical basis. Doing regular exercises reduces the hormones adrenaline and cortisol which are stress hormones.
It also increases endorphins and dopamine which is the body’s natural painkiller and mood elevator. Endorphins are responsible for feelings of optimism and relaxation.
According to Piedmont, the body also releases serotonin and testosterone. Serotonin can promote better sleep and positively impact your mood, appetite, sexual function, memory and social behavior.
Testosterone, on the other hand, is linked to a higher sex drive, slow the effects of aging and increase sperm count in men.
More Benefits of Exercising Related to Behavior
Other benefits of exercise that can have a positive impact on our behavior includes (Neuroscience News, 2023):
- An improvement in our sense of control, coping capability and self-esteem. This is due to feelings of accomplishment after a tough workout and seeing your body change in a positive way (muscle tone, smaller waistline and lower body fat %).
- Promotes the idea of trying new things due to the distraction from negative thoughts that exercise provide
- When exercising with others it can offer the opportunity to socialize and even receive social support
- Being active can be a healthy outlet of frustration, anger, disappointment and other negative feelings
- Lower muscle tension resulting in a more relaxed demeanor
Due to the mental health benefits and boost of feel-good hormones, regular exercise will make you want to change bad habits.
Exercise and Mental Health Statistics
According to researchers from the University of South Australia, exercising can be up to 1.5 times more effective than counselling or other medication when it comes to managing depression or anxiety.
The study comprised of 128 119 participants, 1039 trials and 97 reviews. What they found was that regular physical activity improved symptoms of depression, anxiety and distress.
Researchers at UCLA Health found that on average people have about 3.4 poor mental health days per month. But this number decreased by 40% among those who exercised regularly.
Which Exercise is Best
There is no one best exercise for mental health. But if you’re looking for the best exercise it’s best to find something you love doing. There’s no use in doing something like jogging or skateboarding if it’s not something you enjoy doing.
According to Harvard Health, as long as your body is busy, your mind will be distracted and no longer focus on other worries and stresses. Your mind will be open and free to think creatively.
It was found that rhythmic, repetitive exercises work best for mental health. While some prefer vigorous workouts to not only burn calories but stress too, others may prefer stretching to relax the muscles and the mind.
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