How does Exercise Affect Mental Health and Well Being?
How does Exercise Affect Mental Health and Well Being?
What do we mean when we use the term good mental health? The World Health Organisation defines it as a ‘state of well-being in which an individual realizes their own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to their community’ (1).
Good mental health promotes a sense of contentment with the ability to deal with stress and bounce back from difficult times. This ability is often called resilience.
So how does exercise help?
I don’t know about you but I sometimes find that I’m not really in the mood to go the gym or an exercise class. I’ve got too much to do and I’m tired. If the weather isn’t great and the thought of taking the dog out is not that appealing.
But, if I just go and do it, I feel so much better afterwards.
When you stay active regularly it’s not just coincidence that you feel less stressed, less anxious and generally happier.
Why is that?
There are a several reasons why this happens but let’s group them into 2 main categories.
Socialising: socialising and connecting with the outside world instead of focusing on our internal feelings and issues; and
Physiological: the physiological changes that take place in our bodies when we exercise
Let’s start with the social element
Most people need some kind of social contact to maintain good mental health but everyone has different needs.
Attending an exercise class is a good place to meet other people. Even if your exchanges are only about how hard the class was, you gain a positive feeling of connection from a shared goal of getting through the class.
You may not be into organised classes preferring to get your exercise from walking your dog or going for a run.
Whether or not you join an exercise class or go for a run, in doing this, people often find another ‘community’ meeting the same people on a regular basis. We all thrive on good relationships and positive connections.
Physiological impact
In addition to the social side, our body undergoes physiological changes during exercise.
Exercise has well-known health benefits including being good for the heart, lowering blood pressure, improving muscle tone and strength, including building and strengthening bones
What is good or the body is also good for the brain
You may not be aware but the brain has a large vascular system and the increased blood flow due to exercise also increases blood flow to the brain. Research shows that as a result of this increased blood flow, exercise promotes healthy brain function and balanced brain chemistry.
A recent study found that regardless of the duration (10 to 60 minutes), moderate to vigorous exercise, which in this case was walking on a treadmill, had a positive effect on mood. This included decreased feelings of depression, hostility and fatigue (2).
This shows that exercise doesn’t need to be extremely long or intense to make us feel better, and that even just ten minutes of activity can lead to positive changes in mood.
There is also evidence that exercise among the general population can prevent common mental illnesses with increasing support for the use of exercise as an additional treatment for those with a diagnosed mental illness (3).
Endorphins and more
Endorphins are associated with feelings of pleasure and happiness. These chemicals produced by the body are known as neurotransmitters and act as chemical messengers in the nervous system and brain.
When you exercise, your body releases endorphins. These natural ‘feel-good’ chemicals interact with receptors in your brain to reduce your feelings of pain and help you feel more focused.
Endorphins have a lot in common with anti-anxiety medication. This is because endorphins stimulate the same part of the brain as opioids but without the risky side effects.
As well as endorphins, exercise triggers the release of the hormones serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline. These hormones play a big part in regulating mood. Raising these levels through exercise can boost your mood and overall sense of well-being.
Exercise can also help improve your sleep cycle which is often affected by poor mental health. This is because serotonin is a pre-cursor or chemical-building-block for melatonin, the hormone that regulates your sleep cycle (4).
We all experience stress from time to time – whether physical, such as rushing for the train or psychological, when we have deadlines to meet at work. These challenges can trigger a cascade of stress hormones such as adrenaline, the hormone associated with the ‘fight-or-flight’ response.
This hormone response is very useful when we are in danger or need to react quickly. However, the body can also overreact to stressors that are not life threatening such as work, travel or family problems leading to chronic stress. If left unmanaged, stress starts to take its toll on our health and well-being and may lead to problems such as high blood pressure and may also contribute to obesity (5).
Regular exercise can help balance the body’s level of stress hormones. Relaxation techniques are also a way of learning to switch this ‘fight-or-flight’ mode off or at least turn it down. But as with exercise, you may not always be in the mood to try.
Relaxation techniques, can take a little more time to get to grips with but it can help reduce your overall stress levels so it is worth persevering.
Yoga, mindfulness meditation, deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation can help bring stress back under control and help you find that balance again. One study found that yoga significantly increased the levels of dopamine, particularly in men (6).
Make sure that exercise is about self-care and celebration of strength and fitness rather than a way to achieve the perfect body. Focusing on the functionality of the body has been linked to a more positive body image and greater health promoting behaviours (7).
Starting an exercise regime can be a bit overwhelming if it’s new to you. You don’t have to run a marathon, start by getting off the bus a stop earlier. Set yourself SMART goals: Small; Measurable; Achievable; Rewarding and Timely.
Exercise can help you focus on the present, allows you to practice mindfulness and helps create those feel good helpful endorphins.