Scientists still aren’t certain why exercise seems to improve mental health; the reasons likely don’t lie with cardiorespiratory fitness or strength alone, though those things will certainly benefit both mental health and mood as well.
Exercise seems to help, even with relatively light activity; but the exact causes may depend on multiple factors.
Increased Self-Esteem
Working out is great for both physical and psychological well-being. Studies show that regular exercisers are less likely to have low self-esteem, due to reaching fitness goals – no matter how small. Exercise provides socialization opportunities – an important consideration for those struggling with depression or anxiety.
Depression and other mental health disorders are challenging to treat effectively. While medications may help, their long-term efficacy remains variable. Talk therapy takes too long and costs too much money; but new research demonstrates that exercise may be one of the most cost-effective, least disruptive and least disruptive solutions available for managing them.
Researchers remain unclear as to exactly why exercise benefits mental health; however, researchers suggest it could help relieve chronic stress and enhance sleep – both of which have been shown to exacerbate depression. It could also be that physical exercise strengthens brain circuitry so as to become less vulnerable to depression and other negative emotions.
Exercise can be an effective treatment for many disorders, but its widespread adoption remains limited. Most individuals seeing psychiatrists for mental illnesses don’t receive prescriptions to include exercise as part of their care plan.
Recent research published in Lancet Psychiatry revealed that people who regularly exercised experienced fewer days of poor mental health than those who didn’t engage in any form of activity, such as walking, cycling, playing winter sports, gym exercises or yoga. Researchers examined survey data from over 1.2 million adults to arrive at their conclusions that all forms of physical activity benefited them; whether walking, cycling, playing winter sports, gym exercises or yoga.
Studies have demonstrated that at-risk teenagers who participated in physical exercise for three months had an improved relapse rate compared to their counterparts who didn’t engage in this form of activity, experiencing smaller grade decline and remaining more likely in school than the non-exercising group. Scientists speculate this difference could be explained by hippocampus activity within their brains.
Stresses that cause the hippocampus to contract can lead to mental health issues like anxiety and depression. Scientists believe exercise may retrain the hippocampus and thus reduce or even eradicate symptoms associated with depression and anxiety.
Reduced Anxiety and Depression
Exercise can help ease feelings of anxiety or depression by releasing “feel-good chemicals” that give a natural high. Furthermore, exercise occupies your mind so you aren’t thinking about stressful or worry-inducing events that might trigger anxiety and depression.
A review of studies on the effectiveness of exercise for depression and anxiety revealed both aerobic and resistance exercises were beneficial; however, many limitations made it hard to draw conclusive results, including inconsistent definitions of types of exercises (running vs. jumping rope), different controls (i.e. other complementary treatments, waitlist controls, defined clinical populations), different outcome measures and methods of recruitment.
Still, this research is promising; its authors advise clinicians to include exercise as part of their treatment plans for their patients.
Exercise can significantly relieve depression and anxiety symptoms in just 10 minutes. Furthermore, its benefits are comparable to talk therapy or medication; and unlike some other mood-boosting activities such as drinking alcohol or taking certain drugs, exercise offers non-invasive and safe relief.
Recent results published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine are further proof of exercise’s beneficial effects on mental health. Researchers conducted an exhaustive review of 97 systematic reviews with meta-analyses involving 1,039 trials involving 128,119 participants; their analyses concluded that all forms of physical activity such as yoga, dancing, gardening or walking reduced severity of depression and anxiety symptoms significantly.
Those suffering from depression or anxiety should consult with their physician regarding the benefits of exercise as a means of managing symptoms, without resorting to talk therapy or medications as the only solution. Exercise should become part of an important plan for alleviating their symptoms.
Improved Sleep
Sleep is essential to mental wellbeing. Physical exercise can play an invaluable role in this regard, particularly for those suffering from depression or anxiety.
Researchers conducting one study published by The Lancet Psychiatry examined data from more than 1.2 million adults. They discovered that those who reported regular physical exercise experienced significantly fewer days of poor mental health compared to those who didn’t exercise at all, possibly because exercise helps lower stress and anxiety perceptions, improve mood, and build self-esteem.
Regular exercisers tend to feel an increased sense of progress as they strive towards strength or endurance goals, according to Gordon. Exercise may offer relief for anxiety or depression by providing positive distraction and achievement, providing positive relief that brings on feelings of accomplishment and pride, according to him. Other activities that can have similar benefits as exercising include playing musical instruments, learning a language or participating in art therapy sessions.
Studies on how exercise can aid sleep have explored its ability to trigger the release of feel-good hormones like serotonin, norepinephrine and brain-derived neurotrophic factor; increasing a person’s heart rate through exercise helps them become less sensitive to physical indicators of stress or anxiety such as sweating and racing heartbeats.
While research is ongoing, many experts believe exercise could be an effective treatment option for certain individuals suffering from mental illness. Before undertaking any fitness programs themselves, those with prior history of mental health conditions should always speak with a medical provider first.
As more evidence emerges regarding the positive benefits of exercise on mental health, it has become difficult to deny its impactful impact on mood, energy levels and long-term well-being. So even though some days it might be hard getting out of bed to hit the gym despite your best intentions–your body will thank you!
Better Relationships
Exercise can benefit their relationships in many ways, from increasing self-esteem to decreasing stress and depression. Endorphins produced during exercise make people happier, making interactions with others simpler; when combined with improved sleep patterns it’s no wonder many exercise enthusiasts report better relationships.
As part of your commitment to fitness, it’s essential to select an activity you enjoy if you hope to maintain motivation. If this proves challenging for you, seek professional assistance such as psychotherapy to uncover what may be missing.
Exercise may seem like a simple solution for mental health, but for optimal results it should be combined with other therapies. Exercise can also serve as an invaluable way of creating support networks – something especially essential if living with mental illness. If motivation becomes an issue for you, try exercising with someone – doing this together can strengthen bonds while making more likely that your workout routine stays on track.
Exercise’s benefits go far beyond simply improving your mood, and scientists are still discovering its full extent. One theory holds that it increases brain function, which leads to longer-term mental sharpness increases according to psychiatrist Gail Saltz of NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine. When your mind feels less dulled by fatigue and more alert, creative solutions might come more easily to help boost confidence and capabilities in you and others around you.
Exercise may provide an inexhaustible source of pride. After finishing your workout, it can give a sense of achievement and prove your ability to meet goals set for you. If exercise has become something you do for aesthetic or compensation purposes rather than health reasons, such as trying to attain certain looks or compete against gym buddies for body image reasons or as punishment for eating something bad, perhaps it is time to reevaluate why and what benefits come out of exercising?
