Exercise and Mental Health
It is now very well understood that exercise and physical activity are beneficial for improving physical health outcomes. We know that it can reduce our risk of developing chronic health conditions and injuries, as well as manage or improve already diagnosed health conditions and injuries. It can improve our ability to be active and engage in the community, complete daily tasks, and part take in meaningful leisure activities.
However, physical health is only one component of overall health and wellbeing. Within this blog I will explore what some of the research says about exercise and physical activity for our mental health.
Exercise and physical activity are now widely recognised as key components of holistic mental health management approaches. The reason being is that there are so many benefits of engaging in regular exercise and physical activity for mental health. Here are just some of the benefits I found whilst doing some reading.
Regular exercise:
1. is associated with greater emotional wellbeing, fewer or less severe symptoms of depression and lower anxiety
2. is associated with greater coping self-efficacy or perceived ability to cope with stressors or negative mood
3. can impact how people process and react to stressors or negative emotional experiences. It may not necessarily blunt negative emotional response, but it appears to facilitate emotional recovery after being exposed to stress or negative emotion
4. can reduce risk of developing and improve management of comorbid health conditions that are more prevalent in people who experience mental illness
5. has been shown to increase utilisation of other recommended mental health management and treatment services
These points are very important to note as it suggests that exercise not only improves symptoms, but it facilitates positive coping mechanisms and emotional resilience post adverse events or emotions. We are better able to cope and bounce back from challenging or stressful situations. We also utilise more of the recommended mental health services when we exercise. And our physical health is likely to improve which positively impacts our wellbeing.
Based on this, it is evident that exercise should be part of our approaches to improve and manage our mental health. But what type of exercise is the best?
Studies have been conducted which implement activities like cardiovascular exercise, strength training, stretching and just general physical activity, with varying frequencies, intensities, and durations. Based on the current research that is available so far, there doesn’t seem to be a definitive answer as to what is most beneficial for mental health. However, it is important to note that self-selection regardless of intensity has led to better outcomes in some research. This may be due to improved adherence leading to being active more frequently. Maybe it promotes greater satisfaction and enjoyment. Or perhaps it leads to better support networks via more social and community engagement. It appears doing ‘something’ that you are interested in, prefer, or enjoy regularly (regardless of what activity that may be) is a very important factor in achieving the above benefits.
If you, or someone you know are looking for advice on how to get more active to improve mental and physical health, please feel free to reach out to the team at Wellness Station. We can help guide you in the right direction.
If you, or someone you know needs immediate assistance, you can contact the below National 24/7 Crisis Counselling Services:
Lifeline: 13 11 14 (or text 0477 12 11 14)
Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467
Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636
Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800
Clara
Accredited Exercise Physiologist
Wellness Station
References
Exercise as a buffer against difficulties with emotion regulation: A pathway to emotional wellbeing
Emily E Bernstein, Richard J McNally
Behaviour Research and Therapy 109 (2018) 29-36
Physical activity interventions for people with mental illness: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Simon Rosenbaum, Anne Tiedemann, Catherine Sherrington, Jackie Curtis, Phillip B Ward
Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport 2014
Regular exercise is associated with emotional resilience to acute stress in healthy adults
Emma Childs and Harriet De Wit
Frontiers in Physiology 2014