Maybe you have dealt with mental health since a young age, or maybe this is a recent occurrence that has developed from an accident and you are struggling to negotiate a pain and suffering claim. Either way, if you are looking for ways to help ease some of the symptoms, then one such way is to look at the relationship between physical activity and mental health.
Some Benefits of Exercise on Mental Health
Research shows that exercising has several physical and mental health benefits. These can range from improved memory, an easier time going to sleep, feeling more energetic throughout the day, or an overall better sense of well being.
Of course, when you struggle with mental health, exercise is usually the furthest thing on your mind. Getting up and going to the gym seems impossible when you can’t even get out of bed.
The good news is being a health guru isn’t necessary to reap the benefits of exercising. Something as simple as going for a walk can improve your mental health.
What kind of improvements you see depends on what you are struggling to improve on. Let’s take a look at the benefits exercise has on different mental health issues.
Benefits of Exercise on Depression
Exercise is a great way to treat depression and can often be as effective as taking antidepressants as exercise has a positive effect on your mind and mood.
It can help regulate a schedule for you when you are struggling to get out of bed, and it can also help prevent you from having relapses in your depression.
It has direct effects on your physical well-being as well, as it is often attributed to neural growth, reduced inflammation, and helps with the release of endorphins, which are a chemical released in your brain when you feel good.
Whenever you feel overwhelmed with depressive thoughts, you can use exercise as a way to distract and even over time, use it as a form of mediation and positive self-reflection. In this way, it is a healthy coping mechanism as opposed to more harmful things like alcohol.
Benefits of Exercise on Anxiety
Many of the same benefits that exercise gives those with depression also help those with anxiety, which is great since anxiety and depression tend to go hand-and-hand for many people.
In addition to what has already been stated, exercise is a great way to relieve tension and to keep you motivated when you find yourself getting distracted by negative thoughts.
And let’s not forget that some exercises like yoga encourage you to practice mindfulness when exercising. It’s a necessary component that can help break the chain of negative thoughts and redirect it somewhere better.
Benefits of Exercise on Stress
Everyone experiences stress at one point in their lives, usually more than once. Keeping yourself active can help your body relieve that stress as well as release endorphins, which will in the long run make you feel better.
Sometimes we have stress in our lives that we have no control over. Setting a schedule to include exercise is something that we can control. And with the added benefits, this can go a long way to help manage and relieve stress.
Benefits of Exercise on ADHD
Focus and attention is the largest struggle that those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have. When you exercise, your body releases several chemicals into your brain including dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin, all of which help improve your memory and focus.
Add that in with the other benefits we listed before, and exercise is effective as Adderall or Ritalin.
Benefits of Exercise on PTSD and Trauma
When exercising, you should focus on the way that your body moves and feels. This can help provide a distraction and redirect your thoughts when immobilized from a stress response due to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or trauma.
You will want to focus on cross-motion movements like swimming, running, weight training, or even dancing. Other activities like hiking, mountain biking, or sailing are also helpful.
Don’t forget to seek counseling when necessary though. If you live in Connecticut, there are resources you can use with counseling in southeastern Ct., marriage counseling in Mystic, Ct., or anxiety counseling in East Lyme, Ct.
How much exercise do you need?
So how much exercise do you need? A general recommendation is 30 minutes a day for three to five days a week. Even 15 to 10 minutes helps, though. It’s best to start small and work your way up gradually.
You will need to stick to doing it. You won’t reap any benefits if you only do it for a week or two at a time and then stop. Focus more on the consistency of exercising at the beginning than the amount. Over time you can increase how long you exercise.
Also, be sure to remember, you don’t have to work toward becoming a bodybuilder or marathon runner. Exercise to the point that your breathing becomes a little heavier and your body a little warmer. That will be enough.
Overcoming Mental and Physical Obstacles to Exercise
Of course, all of this is much easier said than done. You will likely run into a lot of obstacles while trying out new activities, so here’s some advice on how to overcome them.
- If you are feeling tired and don’t want to get up and move, find a small activity to do. Something like a quick 5-minute walk will work, even if that’s just walking around your house and going up and down your stairs a few times.
- Feeling stressed or overwhelmed? Make exercising a priority for yourself. Even if you don’t do your mandatory 20-minute workouts in the morning, slot it back into your day at a later point or even cut down on the activity to 10 or even 5 minutes. Consistency is important, but also start small and work your way up.
- If you are having thoughts of depression or are generally feeling pretty low about yourself, try to interrupt the negative thoughts and remind yourself that a bit at a time works just fine, and you don’t have to see immediate effects to know it will pay off in the end. When in doubt, find an accountability buddy — someone that will hold you to your regime but also encourage you when you’re down. Even better is if this is someone who can work out alongside you and that you feel comfortable with.
- What if you feel pain? The first answer would be to inform your doctor. If this pain is a new development, stop what you are doing right away and consult a doctor about what might be going on. Pain is the best indicator that something is wrong and you shouldn’t push your body to do something it is not capable of.
If your pain is due to a preexisting condition that you already know about, then ask your doctor what sort of safe exercise is out there that you can do and what sort of things you should look out for. You should only be reaping the benefits of exercise, not making your condition worse.
How to Stay Motivated
What if your barriers are more mental than physical? Well, you will want to follow these few tips then.
- Try to schedule exercise when your energy is at its highest. This could be in the morning, right after lunch, or even at night before bed. It’s whatever works for you.
- Pick activities that you enjoy. Maybe you have a dog that you can walk every day for 30 minutes, or you enjoy dancing. So long as you are being active, pretty much any activity can work.
- Reward yourself when you stick to a schedule. It’s important to reinforce in your mind that exercising is fun, or at the very least the benefits you gain from it are well worth it.
- Try making it a social activity — something like signing up for a kickboxing class or biking with your family. Being active is far more enjoyable when you are also having fun with others.
Activities Improve Mental Health
Honestly, any activity is an exercise so long as you are moving your muscles. There are the obvious things like going to the gym, working out, or running. There are also forms of therapy like yoga therapy or dance therapy that are helpful for all ages. Be creative and make sure to pick activities that you can love and enjoy.
So long as you follow those tips, exercising can give you a large boost of energy and endorphins levels when struggling to overcome mental illness. Be consistent and never be afraid to reach out to others if you need help.
Brennan Lingo writes and researches about car insurance for CarInsurance.org. He is a freelance writer specializing in insurance and mental health.
