It is well known that regular exercise results in several benefits to your physical health. But have you ever considered the benefits exercise has for your mental health? Regular exercise has been shown to improve emotional well-being, reduce the likelihood of developing a mental illness and is effective at treating existing mental health conditions.
How does exercise influence my mental health?
When you exercise, your body systems work harder to circulate blood around to the muscles in use. This is to provide them with the oxygen and energy to continue performing, and to remove the carbon dioxide and waste products that accumulate when we exercise. But did you know, exercise also encourages blood to be pumped to the brain. This exercise induced increase in blood circulation to the brain allows you to think more clearly and helps alleviate feelings of depression and anxiety.
Exercise encourages an increased release of feel good chemicals from the brain. Endorphins and serotonin are released, which leads to improvements in mood and energised spirit. Additionally, exercise helps to relax muscles and relieve tension. As the body and mind are interconnected, when your body feels better, your mind will too.
Exercise has also been shown to increase the connections between nerve cells in your brain and improve the communication of the HPA axis (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) with several regions of the brain. Including the hippocampus (which is responsible for memory formation, motivation, mood), the amygdala (which is responsible for regulating your fight or flight reaction and stress) and the limbic system (which is responsible for behavioural and emotional responses).
Benefits of exercise on mental health.
There is an endless list of benefits exercises has on your mental health. These include, but are not limited to;
- Encourages socialisation and participation in activities and can alleviate feelings of loneliness and isolation.
- Promotes the release of feel good chemicals.
- Reduces stress by reducing cortisol levels.
- Reduces feelings of depression and anxiety.
- Can enhance and promote recovery from mental health issues.
- Improves and regulates your sleep cycle so you wake feeling energised.
- Improves concentration and mental alertness.
- Improves memory and learning.
- Gives you a sense of achievement and accomplishment as you smash some new goals.
- Improves self-esteem and confidence.
How much exercise is recommended?
To really enjoy the benefits of exercise, it is recommended adults participate in 30 minutes of ‘vigorous’ exercise at least 5 times per week. And by vigorous, we mean putting in enough effort that it is difficult to have a conversation and you are sweating up a storm.
It is important to not feel disheartened by these guidelines if at the moment it feels impossible. Any exercise is better than no exercise and if you find a form of exercise which you love, you will be surprised at what you can achieve.
How do I start?
Anyone can participate in exercise regardless of occupation or lifestyle. But how do you start when sometimes the idea of getting out of bed is hard enough? The best way to start and stay motivated with regular exercise is to find an activity which you enjoy! That way you are more likely to incorporate it into your lifestyle and avoid it turning into a tedious chore. If you are wanting extra support and want to meet new people, find a local exercise class or gym. If you are wanting something low intensity, try walking, pilates or yoga. If you want something to get your heart rate up, try running, HIIT, cycling or swimming. If you are worried accountability will be an issue, ask a friend or family member to do it with you to keep you on track. Or if you are a nature lover, try hiking or take you dog for a walk in your local area.
Rome wasn’t built in a day, so start small and don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Try starting with 5% more than you are already doing and build up from there. Start with doing some household chores, washing the car, getting of the bus a stop early to walk the rest of the way to work or have a dance party in your living room!
To monitor progress and see how far you have come, try setting mini goals and achievements you want to have ticked off. Give yourself a timeframe to achieve it and that way every exercise session will feel purposeful.
Reward yourself when you’ve hit a new goal or tried something new! Treat yourself with a bubble bath or watch an episode of your favourite show for example.
To really boost overall health and well-being, combine exercise with a healthy diet.
If you would like to learn more about how exercise can boost your mental health, the physiotherapists at Back In Motion Como would love to help!
Website: https://www.backinmotion.com.au/como
Phone Number: 9313 3414