Maybe you struggle with depression, anxiety or another mental health concern. Or you have a loved one who does.
Well, you’re certainly not alone. My own experience with depression as well as anxiety has been long and sometimes torturous.
Our mental health is fundamental to our overall sense of well-being.
Mental health is a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his/her community.
World Health Organisation
So, when we have good mental health, we are resilient and can cope with life; the ups and downs. It’s essential to maintain this mental resilience as best as we can. Engaging regularly in activities that achieve this is vital to our health and well-being.
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It’s normal to experience fluctuations in our mood from time to time. We can have a whole range of emotions even in one day; difficult ones and the welcomed pleasant ones.
It’s when we have bad moods for much of the time or feel difficult feelings like sadness, anger, or hopelessness for prolonged periods that a mental health condition may be present.
Prevalence of Mental Health issues
So many people really struggle with their mental health each and every day. Some are diagnosed with mental health conditions like depression or anxiety. It’s estimated that 12% of Australians fit this category.
However, there are considerably more of us who may not meet the mental ill health criteria, but who find daily life problematic, to the point it significantly impacts the quality of their lives.
Generally speaking, the way we manage these symptoms determines how our overall state of mental health will be.
In the health area, we value the importance of taking care of our mental health in the same way we do our physical health.
There’s an abundance of research proving that exercise can positively impact our mental health.
Exercise and Mental Health
Research clearly demonstrates that exercise is beneficial for our mental health. There is a strong correlation between exercise and good mental health. It reduces symptoms of depression, stress, insomnia and anxiety, as well as boosting self-esteem.
Numerous studies have found that just 10 minutes of exercise can improve our mood and help avoid a worsening of symptoms. So can light to moderate activity, which is good news for those of us who dislike intense, sweaty exercise sessions.
It is recommended though, that if we want to experience all of the benefits of exercise, we need to be active on most, preferably all, days of every week.
And to include at least 2, preferably 3 strength training sessions a week.
From my own experience of depression and anxiety, I know they are a thing of the past due to my commitment to exercising each and every day to the best of my ability. And doing strength training 3 times a week.
How Exercise Helps Mental Health
The main reason exercise benefits our mental health is that it triggers the body to release a cocktail of feel-good chemicals, namely hormones like endorphins, and neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine.
Interestingly, exercise helps regulate the same neurotransmitters that antidepressants target. When you exercise, the body also decreases the stress hormones like cortisol.
So, this dual effect contributes to a sense of feeling good, improved mood, and a general state of well-being.
Endorphins also function as the body’s natural analgesics or painkillers so can help manage pain being felt by a person.
Apart from these benefits, exercise does wonders for self-esteem. As self-esteem is usually low with mental health issues, it’s welcome news that exercise can help boost self-esteem.
And with good self-esteem, we’re more likely to establish exercise as a regular part of our routine. Thereby reinforcing and enhancing all the wonderful benefits that exercise can bring for good mental health.
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More recent research has found that when we exercise mindfully we regulate our sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) back to parasympathetic (rest and digest).
This allows our body to further down-regulate our stress hormones. It also reduces inflammation, which has been found to be a key predictor of depression and anxiety.
The best exercise for you is the one you enjoy and do regularly.