Few can deny the physical upside of working out regularly, but there are also several important mental health benefits of exercise. From relieving stress to increasing self-esteam, lots of great mental health reasons exist for hitting the jogging trail or gym a couple times a week.
Mental Health and Exercise
According to the World Health Organization, mental health is a state of well-being wherein individuals recognize their capabilities, effectively manage life’s typical stressors, maintain productive work, and contribute to their communities. Mental health significantly influences our thoughts, emotions, behaviors, stress management, interpersonal relationships, and decision-making processes.
Nurturing mental well-being is crucial across all life stages, from childhood through adulthood. One effective method to prioritize mental health is by integrating regular physical activity into our daily schedules.
How does exercise benefit mental well-being?
Exercise triggers the release of ‘feel-good’ chemicals such as endorphins and serotonin, boosting mood. Additionally, it enhances your physical fitness, further contributing to mood elevation. Engaging in physical activity can also divert your attention from negative thinking patterns.
12 Mental Health Benefits of Exercise:
There are numerous positive psychological outcomes associated with engaging in regular exercise. A few of the most important include the following:
1. Relieves Stress
Stress is a common part of life, and while a small amount periodically is manageable, persistent and severe stress can lead to detrimental changes in the brain, potentially contributing to both physical and mental ailments.
Exercise is among the most popular choices among the various recommendations healthcare professionals provide to manage stress. Engaging in physical activity helps diminish levels of stress hormones in the body, such as adrenaline and cortisol, while concurrently benefiting your cardiovascular, digestive, and immune systems, thereby shielding your body from the adverse effects of stress.
Whether it’s a morning stroll by the beach, an afternoon jog, or a friendly game of tennis, incorporating physical activity into your routine offers an excellent opportunity to take a break from daily concerns and redirect your focus to other activities, providing a much-needed respite for the mind.
Whether you have had a bad day at work, feel overwhelmed by financial or family pressures, or are agitated as a result of fighting traffic, the stress you are feeling is very real – and it has a very real impact on your physical and mental well being. Give all this negative energy a positive outlet by pushing iron, doing yoga, or engaging in aerobic activity for a while. These are just a few examples of the ways that exercise can be used to help you relieve stress.
2. Prevents Depression
According to MayoClinic.com, people who exercise regularly also report decreased rates of depression, lowered pain, and less anxiety. Exercise works in this case by increasing endorphins and neurotransmitters, decreasing immune system substances that may make depression worse, and increasing body temperature.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reports that one in five Australians grapple with a form of mental illness each year, with nearly half of the population experiencing mental illness at some stage in their lives.
Anxiety is a big issue for many people, but exercise can help ease it naturally. Activities like walking, running, swimming, martial arts, or dancing—where you rhythmically move your arms and legs—are especially good for calming anxiety.
To maximize the benefits of your exercise regimen, consider incorporating mindfulness techniques. This may involve focusing on your breath or immersing yourself in sensory experiences, such as feeling the wind on your skin during a walk. Beyond Blue offers a variety of relaxation exercises on its website, including downloadable audio files tailored for exercise sessions.
3. Enhances Mood
Engaging in regular exercises can also help improve your mood according to the Mayo Clinic article cited above. There are many reasons for this, including the facts that exercise leads to an increase of endorphins, helps you better cope with the stressors of daily living, and results in a reduction in anxiety.
You’ve likely heard of the famed ‘runner’s high’—that sense of euphoria experienced during and after physical activity. This delightful sensation owes its existence to the release of certain chemicals triggered by exercise.
Physical activity prompts the production of mood-enhancing chemicals such as endorphins, endocannabinoids, and dopamine, uplifting your spirits, alleviating anxiety, and promoting feelings of tranquility.
4. Boosts Confidence
Confidence and self-esteem are crucial in our mental well-being, shaping our perception of ourselves. Strong self-esteem fosters mental resilience, and studies have shown noticeable self-esteem improvements after exercise.
Physical activity enhances our physical well-being and uplifts our mental state, leading to an improved outlook and a more positive self-image. As we experience physical and mental well-being through exercise, our Confidence in ourselves and our abilities naturally grows.
Being active inevitably builds confidence in your physical abilities. If you get stronger in the gym or shave a couple minutes off your jog, you have hard proof that you’re capable of meeting and surpassing real goals. If you are able to pull this off in the gym, you can probably do it elsewhere too. Likewise, when you experience temporary setbacks and disappointments in your workout, you learn to overcome them the next time around. This is another area that translates well from the field of exercise to social life or the professional world.
Exercise can help you control your weight and tone your body. These improvements in your physical appearance that result from exercise can also have a significant positive impact on body image and body satisfaction, both of which lead to an increase in self-esteem. This association has been well documented in numerous studies, including one published in Athletic Insight: The Online Journal of Sports Psychology.
5. Improved Sleep
Insomnia and poor sleep are often related to residual stress that didn’t get the needed outlet. You can’t fix an overdue credit card bill or revive missed opportunities at work by obsessing about them at 2 a.m., yet that is often what people end up doing. Not only does exercise provide a direct outlet for that pent-up stress, but you also get the immediate, tangible effect of physical tiredness that can help you go to sleep when you need to do so.
If you spent the day in an office chair and the evening on the couch, your body never enjoyed real movement. Swim a few dozen laps after work, and at least you will be physically tired when hitting the sack.
Getting a good night’s sleep is super important for feeling happy and healthy overall. We’ve all experienced the effects of a restless night – feeling grumpy and irritable and noticing a decline in our mood. Furthermore, chronic sleep deprivation has been associated with various mental health disorders like depression and anxiety.
Regular physical activity enhances sleep quality, thus supporting healthy brain function. Exercise prompts the release of feel-good chemicals in the body, which can alleviate pre-sleep anxiety and address common sleep issues such as restless leg syndrome, insomnia, and sleep apnea. Additionally, exercise promotes deeper sleep, facilitating mental recovery from daily exertions.
6. Better Energy
It may seem like a paradox, but you actually get more energized the more energy you use. This isn’t a short-term effect, of course, but over the span of months and years, your body will adjust to your new activity level. You’ll have more overall energy, both physically and mentally.
Kickstarting your day with physical activity can leave you feeling more invigorated and prepared to conquer whatever lies ahead, courtesy of the release of endorphins in the brain.
Known as “feel-good hormones,” endorphins alleviate pain perception, induce a positive sensation in the body, and contribute to increased energy levels and improved mobility.
Moreover, physical activity promotes cardiovascular health, enhancing endurance throughout the day. With daily tasks becoming easier to manage, you’ll have more energy reserves and less sluggishness by day’s end.
7. Mental Alertness
Many of the other psychological benefits associated with exercise combine to have a positive impact on mental alertness. Because regular exercise can give you more energy, help you sleep better, and provide an increased flow of oxygen to your brain, it can have an impact on how alert you feel.
8. Boosts Focus
For those looking to boost their focus, exercise is strongly advised for individuals of any age.
Research based on evidence indicates that exercise leads to improved concentration levels. Over time, regular exercise can also counterbalance brain aging and Alzheimer’s disease by promoting better blood circulation and elevating levels of crucial proteins in the brain.
9. Boosts Memory
Keeping our minds sharp is as simple as keeping our bodies active and our hearts pumping.
Regular physical activity has been shown to stimulate growth in the hippocampus, the brain region crucial for memory and learning.
Furthermore, exercise becomes even more vital as we age in safeguarding our memory and cognitive abilities. Research indicates that various forms of exercise, including aerobic, resistance or strength training, and mind-body exercises, can enhance cognitive brain health among older adults, improving processing speed and overall function.
10. Increased Motivation
As you begin to experience the positive physical, emotional, and psychological benefits from exercise, you are likely to continue exercising in order to continue to realize its positive effects in your life. This increase in motivation can translate to other areas of your daily life as well.
11. Decreases Risk of Physical Health Problems
Exercise is widely acknowledged for its positive impact on physical well-being and extends to mental health benefits.
Consistent physical activity aids in weight management fortifies bones and muscles and enhances overall functionality for daily tasks. Dementia Australia reports that individuals who engage in regular exercise have a reduced likelihood of developing heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes—conditions commonly associated with an elevated risk of dementia.
12. Mitigates Social Isolation
Exercise also plays a crucial role in mitigating the sense of social isolation. Physical activities like walking, swimming, and cycling prompt individuals to engage in more social environments like beaches, community walking paths, and fitness centers. By doing so, exercise aids in diminishing feelings of loneliness and isolation while facilitating connections with others. Moreover, it presents opportunities to forge new friendships or re-establish connections with individuals with whom contact may have lapsed.
Conclusion:
These are certainly not the only benefits associated with exercise. There are other positive psychological outcomes, as well as physical and social benefits. The bottom line is clear enough: practically everyone stands to gain from regular exercise, both physically and mentally. What better reason do you need to get moving?
