Exercising Our Mental Health
Regular exercise plays an important part in sustaining good physical and mental health. Most people are aware that activity leads to a decreased risk of diabetes, obesity, cancer, and heart disease. However, regular exercise also plays a pivotal role in sustaining good mental health. It can relieve stress, improve your memory, boost your overall mood, as well as positively impacting anxiety and ADHD.
While you are exercising, your brain produces chemicals that improve your mood and it also stimulates brain areas that are responsible for memory and learning. People who exercise regularly tend to be motivated to continue to exercise due to the overall sense of well-being that exercise provides them. They sleep better, have sharper memories, and feel more positive about their lives. Plus, there is the added benefit of increasing levels of self-esteem from knowing you are doing something good for yourself and perhaps gaining a slimmer waistline in the process!
Regular exercise has been shown to treat clinical depression as effectively as antidepressant medication. It releases chemicals called endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine which create feelings of happiness and euphoria. These same ‘feel good’ chemicals also help alleviate the symptoms of anxiety by improving your mood, and relieving tension and tight muscles that stress tends to bring on. The endorphins released during physical activity also improve your natural ability to sleep, which helps to reduce the impact of stress on our bodies.
Norepinephrine is another chemical released when exercising and this is thought to assist our bodies deal with stress more efficiently. Increased levels of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, produced during physical activity, are thought to improve attention and concentration. Not only is this good news for alleviating that “foggy” brain that people with depression and anxiety tend to experience, but it’s also good for those with attention disorders such as ADHD. Learning and memory functions are also improved, and new brain cells are created. This is great news for slowing age-related decline in memory and thinking.
Exercise is also a great way to practice mindfulness. Instead of replaying that terrible presentation over and over in your head while you are walking or jogging in the park, tune in to the here and now by focusing on what you can see and hear. Or take the time to notice your feet hitting the ground, the way your arms move in front and behind you, the movement of your torso, or your breath as you inhale and exhale. Focusing on the present moment while you exercise is associated with better mental health benefits.
The Australian government recommends 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week. The 30 minutes can be made up over the day in smaller blocks. If you’re tired aim for five or ten minutes and build your way up from there. If you haven’t exercised for a long time or you have any pre-existing health conditions it’s a good idea to visit your GP for a check-up prior to commencing any exercise program.