Mental health and physical health are intertwined. What’s good for the body is usually good for the mind, too. Thus, taking time to incorporate self-care routines that encompass multiple angles of health and wellness is how to live a holistic lifestyle and feel great all around. Good mental health grows in the gym!
To fully reintegrate mental health into every aspect of our modern lives, mindful exercise habits cannot be overlooked. The multifaceted complexities with which our bodies grow, operate, develop, and function are truly remarkable. A little goes a long way when we actively make time to prioritize our own physical wellness.
And when we say “good mental health grows in the gym,” remember that “the gym” does not have to be a building filled with weights and workout machines that you pay money to use. You can get just as good of a workout outside in nature without any equipment! “Good mental health grows in the gym” is just a fun catchphrase. ????
What actually counts as physical activity?
According to the CDC, essentially, physical activity constitutes any movement of the body that utilizes muscles and expends energy. It would really benefit us all if we thought of exercise in this more broad sense than strictly going on a long run, lifting weights, or completing HIIT workouts.
While all of those activities are great, physical activity also includes walking the dog through the park, traversing through the grocery store, taking the stairs, and even playing cornhole with friends at a barbecue!
The key is to proactively spend time moving your body and getting your heart rate up. Really, just about any amount of physical activity is better than none. Finding activities that work for you and your body and that you enjoy doing is a perfect way to incorporate more exercise into your daily routines.
Remember, context is everything in mental health. This concept carries over in this regard, too. If your workout buddy can lift twice as much as you, cheer them on. Don’t be discouraged that your body cannot do the same. Keep growing and challenging yourself, but remember that everybody is different, and no workout routine is perfect for everyone.
Now that we’ve established the basics of what physical activity can entail, let’s discuss how it affects mental and physical health.
Molecular Exercise
Regular exercise has been proven to decrease resting heart rate, which is a huge factor in life expectancy. Physical activity is also known to reduce the risk of illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and dementia. The added benefit of improved mental health on top of all of this makes exercise well worth the time and effort.
Simply put, people who regularly exercise choose to do so because it offers improved feelings of well-being. Finding exercises that you enjoy just generally helps clear your mind and makes you feel better.
Although consistent physical exercise is commonly lauded as key in decreasing the risk of virtually all chronic illnesses, the intricacies behind this phenomenon have not been greatly understood. However, a recent study has discovered that the benefits of regular physical activity are, at least partially, due to changes in the structure of our DNA. Wild!
The collected data revealed that exercise and physical training improves metabolic and cardiorespiratory fitness, and induces profound changes in skeletal muscle at the genetic level. Essentially, RNA is rewired to specific DNA sequences after exercising, which literally enhances skeletal muscles.
Furthermore, a similar study found that these types of exercise-induced biological processes improve energy metabolism, immune response, energy homeostasis, tissue repair, and remodeling while also regulating oxidative stress and DNA balancing.
Due to the reality of unlimited unique variations of genomes (literally every human is different), not all DNA reacts and changes in the same ways, and different types of exercises are thought to be more or less advantageous to different individuals. So there is no one exercise that is best for all people to do.
The important thing, then, is to just get up and get active. All safe forms of exercise are beneficial to our health, and as more and more research comes in, we are learning that there really is no limit to the benefits of exercise and physical activity. This includes mental health, too!
Exercise and Mental Health
Moderate exercise is not only good for your body, but it improves mental health as well. More time spent in sedentary behaviors is associated with a greater risk of poor mental health. Therefore, proactive choices in increased physical activity cannot be understated.
Research indicates that, on average, a person has between three and four bad mental health days per month. These days were qualified by feelings of stress, depression, and emotional concerns.
However, among those who exercise, that number of poor mental health days decreased by more than 40 percent! They also found that a window of three to five 45-minute exercise sessions per week saw the best results in mental health boosts.
Of note, they found that beyond the three-hour threshold of exercising, mental health actually began to decline. So there is such a thing as too much physical activity. Keep this in mind as you proactively add more physical activity into your daily routines!
Dr. Dixon generally recommends 30-minutes of increased heart rate activities a day. And mixed styles of exercise (e.g., strength training, yoga, swimming, walking) offer the best results. Again, do what works for your body and lifestyle. Consult with your trusted medical team before making any big alterations to your physical activity regiment!
Exercise affects mental health similarly to how it alters DNA and biological functions in the body as we discussed above. Physical activity can have a profoundly positive impact on relieving depression, reducing anxiety, and limiting ADHD symptoms.
It also increases energy throughout the day, reduces stress, improves memory and cognitive function, helps you sleep better, and boosts overall mood. This is all largely due to the fact that exercise causes your brain to release more “feel good” chemicals (i.e., endorphins and serotonin) that help your body feel better. Need we say more to convince you of the benefits of prioritizing physical activity?
And you don’t have to be a fitness fanatic to reap the benefits. Modest amounts of exercise can make a real difference. No matter your age or fitness level, you can learn to use exercise as a powerful tool to deal with mental health concerns, improve your energy and outlook, and get more out of life. Other recent research even suggests that physical activity can be more effective than medicine.
Exercise as treatment for mental illness
Not only is exercise a powerful method of preventative method care for your mental and physical health, it can also be used in lieu of medications in some cases. But again we’ll say: CONTEXT IS EVERYTHING IN MENTAL HEALTH. And this information is not to be taken as personalized treatment plans or care regimen for you.
A new study showed that exercise interventions that were 12 weeks or shorter were extremely effective at reducing mental health symptoms, thus highlighting the speed at which physical activity can make a change in mental health.
This reveals that physical activity must be prioritized to better manage the growing cases of mental health concerns in the world. It also shows that exercise interventions, while not typically very widely used as first-choice treatment, should be considered at the same level as counseling and medication. Exercise can’t replace them, but it can be just as much of a key factor in treatment.
Furthermore, this research indicated that all types of physical activity and exercise were beneficial, including aerobic exercise like walking, resistance training, and yoga. Importantly, it also revealed that it doesn’t take much time at all for exercise to start making a positive difference to mental health.
All-in-all, let this new study serve to underscore the dire need for physical activity as a mainstay approach for managing depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses. With the looming mental health crisis and shortages in the workforce, we all must consider the full spectrum of preventative care and treatment options, especially as beneficial as exercise is proving to be.
To fully reintegrate mindfulness into our daily lives, we must take the time to consider how to incorporate more regular physical activity and exercise habits to improve and maintain our mental health. Simply Psych is committed to promoting inclusive and practical mindfulness so that all people can feel better together. Learn more at www.simplypsych.com today!
Recent Comments