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The Mental Health Benefits of Physical Exercise

Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Maskot / Getty Images

• Exercise and Mental Illness
• Benefits of Exercise

Types of Physical Exercise

Before you begin.

• Starting an Exercise Plan

Frequently Asked Questions

Physical exercise can play an important role in mental well-being and can even relieve symptoms of mental health conditions like depression and anxiety. While the physical health benefits of exercise are frequently discussed, the link between exercise and mental health is often overlooked. Studies suggest that physical exercise may help ward off mental health problems before they start. Research also shows exercise can improve the symptoms of many existing mental illnesses .

How Mental Health Benefits From Physical Exercise

Mental health professionals sometimes prescribe exercise as part of the treatment for specific mental illnesses. Some of the potential mental health effects of exercise include:

Anxiety and Stress

Exercise decreases sensitivity to the body's reaction to anxiety. Additionally, a regular exercise program can help ease symptoms of other common co-occurring conditions, such as ​ irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) .

Exercise helps promote the growth of new neurons in key areas of the brain, including the hippocampus. Some research suggests that this may play a role in relieving symptoms of some psychiatric conditions including depression and anxiety. Animal studies have found that increased neurogenesis may play a role in calming the brain during times of stress.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Exercise may improve motor skills and executive function for children with ADHD . This seems to apply to both moderate and vigorous exercise, and exercising for a longer period of time may lead to better results.  Cardio seems to be particularly beneficial for children and adults with ADHD.

Light, moderate, and vigorous exercise have been shown to reduce the severity of depression . In fact, exercise may be as effective as other treatments for depression. It's possible that regular workouts reduce inflammation, which has a positive effect on people with this condition.

Panic Disorder

For people with panic disorder , exercise can be a proactive way to release pent-up tension and reduce feelings of fear and worry. Exercise may also decrease the intensity and frequency of panic attacks in some cases.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Physical activity may be beneficial for people with PTSD , especially those who have previously struggled with treatment and those with subthreshold PTSD . Exercise may also help PTSD symptoms like depression, anxiety, sleep issues , and cardiovascular problems.

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How Exercise Promotes Positive Well-Being

Exercise can also be used to enhance well-being in people who already feel mentally healthy. Increased physical activity has been found to enhance mood, improve energy levels, and promote quality sleep.

Verywell / Brianna GIlmartin

There are several reasons why physical activity can be good for psychological well-being :

• Exercise decreases stress hormones . Exercise decreases stress hormones like cortisol . It also increases endorphins—your body's "feel-good" chemicals—giving your mood a natural boost.
• Physical activity distracts you from negative thoughts and emotions . Physical activity can take your mind off of your problems and either redirect it to the activity at hand or get you into a zen-like state .
• Exercise promotes confidence . Exercise can help you lose weight, tone your body, and maintain a healthy glow and a smile. You may feel a subtle but significant boost in your mood as your clothes look more flattering and you project an aura of increased strength.
• Exercise can be a good source of social support . The benefits of social support are well-documented, and many physical activities can be social activities as well. So whether you join an exercise class or you play softball in a league, exercising with others can give you a double dose of stress relief.
• Better physical health may mean better mental health . While stress can cause illness , illness can also cause stress. Improving your overall health and longevity with exercise can save you a great deal of stress in the short run (by strengthening your immunity to colds, the flu, and other minor illnesses) and the long run (by helping you stay healthier longer, and enjoy life more because of it).
• Exercise provides a buffer against stress . Physical activity may be linked to lower physiological reactivity toward stress. Simply put, those who get more exercise may become less affected by the stress they face. So, in addition to all the other benefits, exercise may supply some immunity toward future stress as well as a way to cope with current stress.

Fortunately, there are many types of exercise that can improve mental health. From weight lifting to running, it's important to find exercises that you enjoy doing. Here are some types of exercise that can be good for mental health.

Yoga can range from gentle to challenging. The most common form of yoga (hatha yoga) involves physical poses (known as asanas), controlled breathing, and periods of meditation .

Yoga is a low-risk method for healing the body and mind. Often the positive effects can be felt after just one class.

A 2018 study published in Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice found that yoga can help:  

• Decrease physiological arousal
• Lower heart rate
• Lower blood pressure
• Improve respiration
• Reduce the stress response
• Reduce depression and anxiety
• Increase energy and feelings of well-being

Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese martial art that combines meditation and rhythmic breathing in a slow series of graceful body movements and poses (also called forms). Tai Chi has been shown to:

• Reduce stress
• Reduce anxiety
• Improve depressed mood
• Increase self-esteem

Aerobic Exercise

There is growing research evidence that regular aerobic exercise (such as running, cycling or swimming) is associated with better psychological health.

Although studies have focused on depression, panic disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) , there's also some evidence to suggest a positive effect of exercise on social phobia .

Both single sessions and long-term programs of aerobic exercise have been shown to provide a positive benefit for psychological health.

Although as little as five to 10 minutes of aerobic exercise can help to improve your mood and reduce your anxiety, regular programs, lasting from 10 to 15 weeks, seem to improve one's overall mental state.

If you are just starting out with an exercise program, it's important to consult with your doctor to determine the best form of exercise and intensity level for your physical condition.

Your medical history, current medications , and diagnosed conditions can all play a role in your ability to exercise.

If you suspect you have a mental illness or you're being treated by a mental health professional, ask about how you can incorporate physical activity into your treatment.

A qualified mental health professional can make suggestions about the best strategies for treating your specific condition.

How to Start a Physical Exercise Plan

Once you have obtained your doctor’s approval and recommendations, you will want to decide on an exercise program that's right for you.

Do you want to take a class? Could it be helpful to hire a trainer at the gym? Do you prefer to go for a walk on your own time while listening to your favorite music? The key to sticking with a program is to find something that you enjoy doing.

When starting a new exercise plan, you may initially feel very motivated. This motivation to exercise can be extremely beneficial in helping you get started on your new exercise plan.

A 2017 study published in Maturitas found that between two and six hours of exercise each week is best for optimal mental health.

Here are a few tips to start and maintain your exercise plan:

• Don’t overdo it . Be careful not to push yourself to extremes in the beginning, as this can lead to physical injury. Remember that exercise can be fun and can help improve your mood and anxiety, but it should not be causing physical issues. Take it slow in the beginning and gradually increase your workouts over time.
• Make a commitment to your exercise plan . From stressed-out executives to frazzled stay-at-home parents, everyone is busy. Putting time aside to exercise means that you have made your health and well-being a top priority. It can take time before you notice improvements in your symptoms. For the best results, stay patient and consistent with your exercise program.
• Know that your motivation may change at different stages of your exercise plan . It is not uncommon for your initial enthusiasm to fade over time. It can help to change your routine a little or find new exercise options altogether. For example, if you're getting bored with the treadmill at the local gym, try walking locally or joining a hiking group. These alternative options can also have the added benefit of helping you socialize while you exercise.
• Keep experimenting . Experiment with different strategies to find what works best for you. If you struggle to stick with exercise first thing in the morning, try exercising in the afternoon. Or, if you discover that you dread hitting the gym, try exercising outside. Keep experimenting until you find something that you are likely to stick to.

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Physical exercise may lessen feelings of anxiety and improve your resiliency against stress . Exercise is associated with less reactivity in the sympathetic nervous system and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, both of which are associated with the fight-or-flight reaction . Regular physical activity may also have positive effects on the brain, like increased neurogenesis and improved neurotransmitter levels.

Aerobic (or cardio) exercise involves maintaining an increased heart rate and breathing rate for an extended period of time. This type of workout can offer immediate benefits for your mood, mental clarity, and ability to withstand stress.

You may feel an improved mood and euphoric feeling immediately after you exercise, especially if you’re engaging in moderate activity. You may also experience improved cognitive abilities, like memory, problem-solving skills, and decision-making ability, after just one session. Over time, these positive effects should continue to build, and you may notice improvements as soon as six weeks after starting regular exercise.

Mazyarkin Z, Peleg T, Golani I, Sharony L, Kremer I, Shamir A. Health benefits of a physical exercise program for inpatients with mental health; A pilot study . J Psychiatr Res . 2019;113:10-16. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2019.03.002

Aylett E, Small N, Bower P. Exercise in the treatment of clinical anxiety in general practice - a systematic review and meta-analysis . BMC Health Serv Res . 2018;18(1):559. doi:10.1186/s12913-018-3313-5

Zhou C, Zhao E, Li Y, Jia Y, Li F. Exercise therapy of patients with irritable bowel syndrome: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials . Neurogastroenterol Motil . 2019;31(2):e13461. doi:10.1111/nmo.13461

Anderson E, Shivakumar G. Effects of exercise and physical activity on anxiety .  Front Psychiatry . 2013;4:27. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2013.00027

Schoenfeld TJ, Rada P, Pieruzzini PR, Hsueh B, Gould E. Physical exercise prevents stress-induced activation of granule neurons and enhances local inhibitory mechanisms in the dentate gyrus .  J Neurosci . 2013;33(18):7770-7777. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5352-12.2013

Vysniauske R, Verburgh L, Oosterlaan J, Molendijk ML. The effects of physical exercise on functional outcomes in the treatment of ADHD: A meta-analysis . J Atten Disord . 2020;24(5):644-654. doi:10.1177/1087054715627489

Den Heijer AE, Groen Y, Tucha L, et al. Sweat it out? The effects of physical exercise on cognition and behavior in children and adults with ADHD: A systematic literature review . J Neural Transm (Vienna) . 2017;124(Suppl 1):3-26. doi:10.1007/s00702-016-1593-7

Helgadóttir B, Hallgren M, Ekblom Ö, Forsell Y. Training fast or slow? Exercise for depression: A randomized controlled trial . Prev Med . 2016;91:123-131. doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2016.08.011

Paolucci EM, Loukov K, Bowdish DME, Heisz JJ. Exercise reduces depression and inflammation but intensity matters . Biol Psychol . 2018;133:79-84. doi:10.1016/j.biopsycho.2018.01.015

Mikkelsen K, Stojanovska L, Polenakovic M, Bosevski M, Apostolopoulos V. Exercise and mental health .  Maturitas . 2017;106:48-56. doi:10.1016/j.maturitas.2017.09.003

Oppizzi LM, Umberger R. The effect of physical activity on PTSD . Issues Ment Health Nurs . 2018;39(2):179-187. doi:10.1080/01612840.2017.1391903

Budde H, Machado S, Ribeiro P, Wegner M. The cortisol response to exercise in young adults . Front Behav Neurosci . 2015;9:13. doi:10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00013

Swift DL, Johannsen NM, Lavie CJ, Earnest CP, Church TS. The role of exercise and physical activity in weight loss and maintenance . Prog Cardiovasc Dis . 2014;56(4):441-7. doi:10.1016/j.pcad.2013.09.012

American Psychological Association.  Manage stress: Strengthen your support network . Updated October 2019.

Childs E, De wit H. Regular exercise is associated with emotional resilience to acute stress in healthy adults . Front Physiol . 2014;5:161. doi:10.3389/fphys.2014.00161

Domingues RB. Modern postural yoga as a mental health promoting tool: A systematic review .  Complement Ther Clin Pract . 2018;31:248-255. doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2018.03.002

Abbott R, Lavretsky H. Tai Chi and Qigong for the treatment and prevention of mental disorders . Psychiatr Clin North Am . 2013;36(1):109-19. doi:10.1016/j.psc.2013.01.011

Basso JC, Suzuki WA. The effects of acute exercise on mood, cognition, neurophysiology, and neurochemical pathways: A review . BPL . 2017;2(2):127-152. doi:10.3233/BPL-160040

Goldin P, Ziv M, Jazaieri H, Hahn K, Gross JJ. MBSR vs aerobic exercise in social anxiety: fMRI of emotion regulation of negative self-beliefs . Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci . 2013;8(1):65-72. doi:10.1093/scan/nss054

Greer TL, Trombello JM, Rethorst CD, et al. Improvements in psychosocial functioning and health-related quality of life following exercise augmentation in patients with treatment response but non-remitted major depressive disorder: Results from the TREAD study . Depress Anxiety . 2016;33(9):870-881. doi:10.1002/da.22521

Bourne, EJ. The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook . 5th ed. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger, 2011.

By Katharina Star, PhD Katharina Star, PhD, is an expert on anxiety and panic disorder. Dr. Star is a professional counselor, and she is trained in creative art therapies and mindfulness. 

Physical Activity Is Good for the Mind and the Body

Health and Well-Being Matter is the monthly blog of the Director of the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.

Everyone has their own way to “recharge” their sense of well-being — something that makes them feel good physically, emotionally, and spiritually even if they aren’t consciously aware of it. Personally, I know that few things can improve my day as quickly as a walk around the block or even just getting up from my desk and doing some push-ups. A hike through the woods is ideal when I can make it happen. But that’s me. It’s not simply that I enjoy these activities but also that they literally make me feel better and clear my mind.

Mental health and physical health are closely connected. No kidding — what’s good for the body is often good for the mind. Knowing what you can do physically that has this effect for you will change your day and your life.

Physical activity has many well-established mental health benefits. These are published in the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans and include improved brain health and cognitive function (the ability to think, if you will), a reduced risk of anxiety and depression, and improved sleep and overall quality of life. Although not a cure-all, increasing physical activity directly contributes to improved mental health and better overall health and well-being.

Learning how to routinely manage stress and getting screened for depression are simply good prevention practices. Awareness is especially critical at this time of year when disruptions to healthy habits and choices can be more likely and more jarring. Shorter days and colder temperatures have a way of interrupting routines — as do the holidays, with both their joys and their stresses. When the plentiful sunshine and clear skies of temperate months give way to unpredictable weather, less daylight, and festive gatherings, it may happen unconsciously or seem natural to be distracted from being as physically active. However, that tendency is precisely why it’s so important that we are ever more mindful of our physical and emotional health — and how we can maintain both — during this time of year.

Roughly half of all people in the United States will be diagnosed with a mental health disorder at some point in their lifetime, with anxiety and anxiety disorders being the most common. Major depression, another of the most common mental health disorders, is also a leading cause of disability for middle-aged adults. Compounding all of this, mental health disorders like depression and anxiety can affect people’s ability to take part in health-promoting behaviors, including physical activity. In addition, physical health problems can contribute to mental health problems and make it harder for people to get treatment for mental health disorders.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the need to take care of our physical and emotional health to light even more so these past 2 years. Recently, the U.S. Surgeon General highlighted how the pandemic has exacerbated the mental health crisis in youth .

The good news is that even small amounts of physical activity can immediately reduce symptoms of anxiety in adults and older adults. Depression has also shown to be responsive to physical activity. Research suggests that increased physical activity, of any kind, can improve depression symptoms experienced by people across the lifespan. Engaging in regular physical activity has also been shown to reduce the risk of developing depression in children and adults.

Though the seasons and our life circumstances may change, our basic needs do not. Just as we shift from shorts to coats or fresh summer fruits and vegetables to heartier fall food choices, so too must we shift our seasonal approach to how we stay physically active. Some of that is simply adapting to conditions: bundling up for a walk, wearing the appropriate shoes, or playing in the snow with the kids instead of playing soccer in the grass.

Sometimes there’s a bit more creativity involved. Often this means finding ways to simplify activity or make it more accessible. For example, it may not be possible to get to the gym or even take a walk due to weather or any number of reasons. In those instances, other options include adding new types of movement — such as impromptu dance parties at home — or doing a few household chores (yes, it all counts as physical activity).

During the COVID-19 pandemic, I built a makeshift gym in my garage as an alternative to driving back and forth to the gym several miles from home. That has not only saved me time and money but also afforded me the opportunity to get 15 to 45 minutes of muscle-strengthening physical activity in at odd times of the day.

For more ideas on how to get active — on any day — or for help finding the motivation to get started, check out this Move Your Way® video .

The point to remember is that no matter the approach, the Physical Activity Guidelines recommend that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (anything that gets your heart beating faster) each week and at least 2 days per week of muscle-strengthening activity (anything that makes your muscles work harder than usual). Youth need 60 minutes or more of physical activity each day. Preschool-aged children ages 3 to 5 years need to be active throughout the day — with adult caregivers encouraging active play — to enhance growth and development. Striving toward these goals and then continuing to get physical activity, in some shape or form, contributes to better health outcomes both immediately and over the long term.

For youth, sports offer additional avenues to more physical activity and improved mental health. Youth who participate in sports may enjoy psychosocial health benefits beyond the benefits they gain from other forms of leisure-time physical activity. Psychological health benefits include higher levels of perceived competence, confidence, and self-esteem — not to mention the benefits of team building, leadership, and resilience, which are important skills to apply on the field and throughout life. Research has also shown that youth sports participants have a reduced risk of suicide and suicidal thoughts and tendencies. Additionally, team sports participation during adolescence may lead to better mental health outcomes in adulthood (e.g., less anxiety and depression) for people exposed to adverse childhood experiences. In addition to the physical and mental health benefits, sports can be just plain fun.

Physical activity’s implications for significant positive effects on mental health and social well-being are enormous, impacting every facet of life. In fact, because of this national imperative, the presidential executive order that re-established the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition explicitly seeks to “expand national awareness of the importance of mental health as it pertains to physical fitness and nutrition.” While physical activity is not a substitute for mental health treatment when needed and it’s not the answer to certain mental health challenges, it does play a significant role in our emotional and cognitive well-being.

No matter how we choose to be active during the holiday season — or any season — every effort to move counts toward achieving recommended physical activity goals and will have positive impacts on both the mind and the body. Along with preventing diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and the additional risks associated with these comorbidities, physical activity’s positive effect on mental health is yet another important reason to be active and Move Your Way .

As for me… I think it’s time for a walk. Happy and healthy holidays, everyone!

Yours in health, Paul

Paul Reed, MD Rear Admiral, U.S. Public Health Service Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health Director, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

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Mental Health Benefits of Exercise and Physical Activity

Research shows the benefits of exercise and physical activity go beyond just physical well-being. Adults should do at least 150 minutes (2 1/2 hours) a week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, according to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans .

To share the image, right-click on it and select "save image as" to save the file to your computer. We encourage you to use the hashtag #NIAHealth in your social media posts to connect with people and organizations with similar goals.

You may also be interested in

• Learning about additional benefits of exercise
• Exploring fun ways for older adults to stay active
• Watching a video on the emotional benefits of exercise

Have you been feeling down lately? Try exercising to help improve your mood! Exercise can:

• Reduce feelings of depression and stress
• Enhance your mood and overall emotional well-being
• Increase your energy level
• Improve sleep

Learn more about the benefits of exercise .

Last updated: June 11, 2024

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An official website of the National Institutes of Health

Importance of Exercise Essay

500 words essay on exercise essay.

Exercise is basically any physical activity that we perform on a repetitive basis for relaxing our body and taking away all the mental stress. It is important to do regular exercise. When you do this on a daily basis, you become fit both physically and mentally. Moreover, not exercising daily can make a person susceptible to different diseases. Thus, just like eating food daily, we must also exercise daily. The importance of exercise essay will throw more light on it.

Importance of Exercise

Exercising is most essential for proper health and fitness. Moreover, it is essential for every sphere of life. Especially today’s youth need to exercise more than ever. It is because the junk food they consume every day can hamper their quality of life.

If you are not healthy, you cannot lead a happy life and won’t be able to contribute to the expansion of society. Thus, one needs to exercise to beat all these problems. But, it is not just about the youth but also about every member of the society.

These days, physical activities take places in colleges more than often. The professionals are called to the campus for organizing physical exercises. Thus, it is a great opportunity for everyone who wishes to do it.

Just like exercise is important for college kids, it is also essential for office workers. The desk job requires the person to sit at the desk for long hours without breaks. This gives rise to a very unhealthy lifestyle.

They get a limited amount of exercise as they just sit all day then come back home and sleep. Therefore, it is essential to exercise to adopt a healthy lifestyle that can also prevent any damaging diseases .

Benefits of Exercise

Exercise has a lot of benefits in today’s world. First of all, it helps in maintaining your weight. Moreover, it also helps you reduce weight if you are overweight. It is because you burn calories when you exercise.

Further, it helps in developing your muscles. Thus, the rate of your body will increases which helps to burn calories. Moreover, it also helps in improving the oxygen level and blood flow of the body.

When you exercise daily, your brain cells will release frequently. This helps in producing cells in the hippocampus. Moreover, it is the part of the brain which helps to learn and control memory.

The concentration level in your body will improve which will ultimately lower the danger of disease like Alzheimer’s. In addition, you can also reduce the strain on your heart through exercise. Finally, it controls the blood sugar levels of your body so it helps to prevent or delay diabetes.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Conclusion of Importance of Exercise Essay

In order to live life healthily, it is essential to exercise for mental and physical development. Thus, exercise is important for the overall growth of a person. It is essential to maintain a balance between work, rest and activities. So, make sure to exercise daily.

FAQ of Importance of Exercise Essay

Question 1: What is the importance of exercise?

Answer 1: Exercise helps people lose weight and lower the risk of some diseases. When you exercise daily, you lower the risk of developing some diseases like obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and more. It also helps to keep your body at a healthy weight.

Question 2: Why is exercising important for students?

Answer 2: Exercising is important for students because it helps students to enhance their cardiorespiratory fitness and build strong bones and muscles. In addition, it also controls weight and reduces the symptoms of anxiety and depression. Further, it can also reduce the risk of health conditions like heart diseases and more.

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Working out boosts brain health

• Exercise and Fitness
• Applied Psychology

It’s no secret that regular exercise promotes health throughout the body. Research shows routine physical activity can improve cardiovascular health, strengthen bones and muscles, and even reduce the risk of certain cancers . But did you know breaking a sweat can also strengthen the brain?

A growing body of research suggests physical fitness is one way to boost brain health — and that a regular exercise routine can decrease the effects of stress on the body, improve mental health and mood, and even enhance memory and cognition.

Exercise fuels the brain's stress buffers

Exposure to long-term stress can be toxic to multiple systems in the body, even leading to medical concerns like high blood pressure and a weakened immune system, along with mental illnesses like anxiety and depression.

It may seem counterintuitive that exercise, a form of physical stress, can help the body manage general stress levels. But the right kind of stress can actually make the body more resilient. Research shows that while exercise initially spikes the stress response in the body, people experience lower levels of stress hormones like cortisol and epinephrine after bouts of physical activity.

So far, there's little evidence for the popular theory that exercise causes a rush of endorphins. Rather, one line of research points to the less familiar neuromodulator norepinephrine, which may help the brain deal with stress more efficiently. Research in animals since the late 1980s has found that exercise increases brain concentrations of norepinephrine in brain regions involved in the body's stress response.

Norepinephrine is particularly interesting to researchers because 50% of the brain's supply is produced in the locus coeruleus, a brain area that connects most of the brain regions involved in emotional and stress responses. The chemical is thought to play a major role in modulating the action of other, more prevalent neurotransmitters that play a direct role in the stress response.

Biologically, exercise seems to give the body a chance to practice dealing with stress. It forces the body's physiological systems — all of which are involved in the stress response — to communicate much more closely than usual: The cardiovascular system communicates with the renal system, which communicates with the muscular system. And all of these are controlled by the central and sympathetic nervous systems, which also must communicate with each other. This workout of the body's communication system may be the true value of exercise; the more sedentary we get, the less efficient our bodies are in responding to stress.

Exercise can boost mental health

Along with mitigating the negative effects of chronic stress on the mind and body, habitual exercise can improve mental health. Many experts believe routine exercise is as powerful in treating anxiety and mood disorders as antidepressants.

Preliminary evidence suggests that physically active people have lower rates of anxiety and depression than sedentary people. But little work has focused on why that is. To determine how exercise might bring about its mental health benefits, some researchers are looking at possible links between exercise and brain chemicals associated with stress, anxiety and depression. One theory is that physical activity triggers a release of dopamine and serotonin, which can improve mood.

But there are other reasons exercise plays a crucial role in mental well-being.

For example, exercise can be particularly helpful for people who deal with anxiety and panic attacks. When you engage in strenuous physical activity, you're essentially mimicking the responses that can come with anxiety, allowing you to learn how to manage these responses and not be overwhelmed by them in other situations.

Psychologists also recommend exercise to their patients because it leads to a sense of accomplishment. Getting dressed and driving to the gym first thing in the morning may not be so fun in the moment, but prioritizing self-care practices like exercise can result in a cascade effect of other healthy habits, like eating nutritiously, socializing with others and getting a good night's sleep — all of which can improve depression symptoms.

For even more impact on your mental health, combine your exercise routine with other evidence-based practices, like mindfulness meditation — or, reap the benefits of some good, old-fashioned fresh air and sunshine by taking a walk outdoors.

Exercise can build the mind's muscles

Have you ever noticed that while your body might feel a bit fatigued, you feel more alert and energized after a bout of exercise? It's been proven that physical activity can improve brain functions like memory and cognition both immediately after a workout and in the long-term.

In research with rodents (rats and mice), there's evidence that exercise increases the blood supply to their brains and promotes the growth of new neurons (adult neurogenesis) in the hippocampus, a brain area that is essential for learning and memory. In one study, one group of rats got free access to a running wheel and another ran on a treadmill for an hour a day. After 30 days, both groups had a better blood supply to their brains. A group of sedentary rats showed no increase. An increased blood supply means increased oxygen and energy supply, and that equals better performance. The improvement in performance can also be attributed, at least in part, to an exercise-induced increase in adult hippocampal neurogenesis.

Although these types of studies are only now beginning in humans, the theory is that because sports combine learning and exercise, they may both increase blood supply and enhance brain connections.

Recent studies suggest physical activity benefits white and gray matter in the brain, which leads to enhancement of cognitive processes like thinking and memory, attention span, and perception.

Movement can also improve cognitive regulation, or the ability to ignore distractions and multi-task. While there's not as extensive of research on middle-aged adults, researchers think the same benefits hold true across the board.

Exercise can sharpen memory

There's also scientific evidence that people who exercise experience improvements in episodic memory, which is our ability to bind how events, people and places come together in everyday life. Exercise can also benefit the brain's spatial navigation, or the ability to remember everyday life events, like where you parked your car.

Exercise can also help people maintain their cognitive abilities as they age. Many studies have found that physically active elderly people perform better than sedentary elderly people on cognitive tasks such as reasoning, vocabulary, memory and reaction time. It's known that regular exercise can prevent memory-related diseases like Alzheimer's. Exercise can increase the brain's ability to create new neurons in rodents, which can enable the brain to learn new information and improve memory. Whether adult hippocampal neurogenesis can be increased by exercise in humans remains to be determined, but there is a robust and growing body of research among school-aged children.

For people who have already been diagnosed with memory-related diseases, exercise is a commonly recommended intervention. Studies show that one year of activity interventions can increase the volume of the hippocampus — the part of the brain that deals with learning and memory — by one percent.

How much exercise do I need?

If your doctor gives you the go-ahead, there's no reason not to reap the physical and mental benefits of a regular exercise routine. But how much exercise is the right amount?

Official exercise recommendations have increased over the years. The Department of Health and Human Services Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (PDF, 15MB) recommends 150 minutes or 2.5 hours of moderate aerobic activity a week, or 75 minutes of more vigorous activity.

If getting started with an exercise routine sounds overwhelming, keep in mind that starting anywhere is better than not starting at all. Not sure where to begin? Think outside of the box, and try not to worry too much. Research shows that all kinds of exercise can be an effective way to manage stress and stay mentally healthy. The important thing is that you find an activity you enjoy and stick with it.

For more information on exercise recommendations, including suggestions for age-specific activities, refer to the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans Move Your Way Campaign .

For their contributions to this article, APA thanks:

Rod K. Dishman, PhD, of the University of Georgia  Mark Sothmann, PhD, of Indiana University's School of Medicine and School of Allied Health Sciences  Henriette van Praag, PhD, of Florida Atlantic University's Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine  Nancy Molitor, PhD, of Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine  Elaine Ducharme, PhD  Anthony C. Hackney, PhD, DSc, of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill  Charles Hillman, PhD, of Northeastern University's Bouve College of Health Sciences

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Physical Exercise: An Overview of Benefits From Psychological Level to Genetics and Beyond

Yucong wang.

1 Department of Joint Surgery, Ningbo No. 9 Hospital, Ningbo, China

Kalaiselvan Ashokan

2 Department of Biochemistry and Hematology, MV Hospital for Diabetes and Prof. M. Viswanathan Diabetes Research Centre, Chennai, India

Any form of physical activity, including exercise, is linked with preventing several diseases including metabolic disorders, cancer, and mood disorders. Beyond benefits, its therapeutic activity is inconclusive in terms of types, intensity, and individual training status, and this could be a major research for prescribing exercise as a therapeutic strategy. Exercise and its myriad forms occupy the space on clinical recommendation, which implies that quantifiable benefits of the same have been proven. Further, the benefits of exercise and its impact have also been found to have a genetic underlying interaction, which has created a niche of personal genomics, wherein apart from diet, an exercise regimen also becomes tailorable for every individual. Many subjective well-being reports highlighted daily exercise to keep mental and general health in excellent conditions, and the uncertainties around it. Thus, adopting an exercise behavior and inculcating it as a routine has been recommended. Further, the kind of benefit that can be extracted out of exercise and training is to a great extent influenced by genetic markers around fat, obesity, hunger, as well as satiety. Genetic markers can also impact the body temperature during exercise, making the entire experience of training either comfortable or unpleasant. Thus, there is an overwhelming amount of scientific evidence that has gathered around the benefits of exercise, which has become a pressing need from the 21st century when the belief in the value of exercise started waning, and that spiked up the era of lifestyle and noncommunicable ailments.

Introduction

Physical exercise has a proven and documented effect on mortality, wherein its preventive impact on diseases like cancer has entitled it to be therapeutic, beyond a healthy habit. For example, exercise has been demonstrated to cause 60% reduction in tumor incidence and growth in several mouse models, and this may be due to exercise-induced influx of immune cells in tumors ( Kujala et al., 1998 ; Idorn and Straten, 2017 ). The longevity benefit of exercise has also been proven in large cohort studies that found adherence to physical activity (PA) recommendations to be beneficial ( McGLory et al., 2018 ). Further, the exercise-induced longevity benefits threshold is obtained at a level three to five times higher (450–750 min/week) over the minimum recommendations among adults ( Arem et al., 2015 ). The first PA recommendation guidelines were released in the year 2008 by the federal government, which recommends that a 150–300 min of moderate-intensity or 75–150 min of vigorous-intensity of aerobic exercise can provide substantial health benefits (Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee). Studies have also assessed the impact of environment toward the development of exercise tendency in childhood, wherein influence of parents, peers, and coaches have been documented toward contribution for a motivational climate ( Allen and Hodge, 2006 ; Keegan et al., 2009 ). Studies have also discussed intrinsic and extrinsic motivation models, wherein parents are the global influence, whereas peers and coaches exert motivation in both contextual and situational levels ( Vallerand, 1997 ). Exercise has also been reviewed and proven as a promising adjunct intervention for mood disorders, including bipolar and major depressive disorder (MDD) ( Hearing et al., 2016 ). However, several factors of exercise are inconclusive such as type, intensity, duration, and training status of the individual, thus recommending exercise as major therapeutics to prevent or control diseases has bigger challenges. Therefore, this review focuses on the benefits of exercise from psychological response to genetics.

Psychological Impact of Exercise

Exercise has been evaluated as an adjunct intervention for mood disorders including MDD and bipolar disorder. The Healthy Body Healthy Mind Feasibility Study involved engaging youth between 15 and 25 years of age with MDD in a multimodal exercise intervention plus usual care to evaluate the magnitude of impact on psychological, physical fitness, and biomarker outcome. The exercise program involved a single session of motivational interviewing to enhance adherence, followed by a 1-h exercise session three times a week for 12 weeks. Depression assessment was done at 12 weeks by the Beck Depression Inventory, the mean scores of which showed a decrease from 31.9 ± 9.1 to 13.1 ± 10.1 (Cohen d effect size = 1.96). The positive impact highlighted by this study motivates recognizing the use of exercise as a powerful adjunct tool ( Adriana et al., 2020 ). The prevalence of child and adolescent mental illness, including all mental disorders, was found to at 13.4% ( Polanczyk et al., 2015 ). The updated World Health Organization (WHO) estimates on mental disorders identified the prevalence to be 22.1% (depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and anxiety) at any time point among conflict-affected populations. The age-standardized and mean-comorbidity-adjusted prevalence was 13% for mild forms and 4% for moderate forms ( Charlson et al., 2019 ). MDD is the third greatest disease factor for disease burden the world over, and with the existing psychosocial and pharmacological intervention, the rate of relapse of the quality and functioning of life among affected has been recorded to be impaired ( Rapaport et al., 2005 ). Scientific reports have demonstrated moderate to higher intensity exercise as an effective adjunct treatment for improving depressive symptoms ( Lawlor and Hopker, 2001 ; Daley, 2008 ; Schuch et al., 2016 ). The association between depression and quality of life has been well established, and even with pharmacological treatments, less than 50% on adequate dose experience significant clinical response ( Sinyor et al., 2010 ). The underlying mechanism of action involving exercise as an intervention for anxiety and depression includes regulation in the production of the brain-derived neurotropic factor, hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, D-β-hydroxybutyrate, and the GSK3β/β-catenin pathway. The HUNT cohort study involving a healthy cohort of 33,908 adults was followed up for 11 years and it identified regular leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) to reduce the incidence of depression ( Harvey et al., 2018 ). Further, postadjustment for confounders, the population attributable fraction suggested that when the relationship is assumed to be causal, 12% of the future cases of depression becomes preventable by engaging in at least 1 h of PA every week, thus proving that LTPA of any intensity becomes protective against future depression ( Manger and Motta, 2005 ). Aerobic exercise has also been studied in relation to symptoms of PTSD. Studies that examined the impact of a 12-week aerobic exercise program involving 30 min of jogging/walking between 60 and 80% maximum heart rate indicated a significant reduction in the symptom of PTSD. Another study involving 33 PTSD-affected were subjected to 2 weeks of stationary biking aerobic exercise of six sessions, and 89% of the participants reported significant reductions in severity after 2 weeks ( Fetzner and Asmundson, 2014 ). With reference to studies on depression, a dose-dependent relation between exercise and depression scores have been found. One such study assessed the benefit of low-frequency exercise involving one aerobic session/week compared with high-frequency exercise involving three to five aerobic sessions/week and found a significant reduction in depression scores among participants in the latter group ( Legrand and Heuze, 2007 ). Thus, promoting exercise in primary care centers, based on guideline recommendations, can provide scientifically proven benefits for a wide range of mood disorders and work as an effective adjunct for symptom management.

Impact of Genetics on Exercise Benefits

The physiological as well as psychological impact of different forms of exercise and physical exercise has been associated with key genetic markers, which can modulate the outcome to a great extent ( Figure 1 ). Scientifically established relation exists between risk genetic markers and their impact on attenuation by exercise regimen tailored as per impact linked genetics. To cite an example, one study among Taiwanese adults assessed the impact of aerobic exercise and badminton on levels of high-density cholesterol and its relation with the genetic variant rs328 in the lipoprotein lipase gene. This study involving 3,742 men and 4,071 women between the ages of 30 and 70 were subjected to no exercise, aerobic exercise, and badminton. Individuals engaged in the aerobic and the badminton exercise group exhibited higher levels of good cholesterol, high-density lipoproteins (HDL), and were also carriers of the rs328 genotypes ( Nassef et al., 2020 ). Studies have also investigated the impact of genetic variants in leptin ( LEP ) and LEP receptor ( LEPR ) on habitual PA, and the body composition response to a unilateral upper body resistance training (RT) program. The variants rs2167270, rs1137100, rs1137101, rs1805096, and rs8179183 were studied. Carriers of the GG genotype of rs2167270 exhibited more kcal per week in vigorous-intensity PA and sports recreation compared with “A” allele carriers. In case of RT carriers of the LEPR “G” allele for variant rs1137101 exhibited greater gain in arm muscle and subcutaneous fat volume ( Walsh et al., 2012 ). The fat mass and obesity-associated gene ( FTO ) is the first and widely studied obesity loci identified through genome-wide association studies. The variant rs9939609 has been widely reported, wherein each additional minor allele increases the risk of obesity by 20–30% ( Frayling et al., 2007 ). Studies have correlated the impact of PA to attenuate obesity risk through FTO variant rs9939609. One such metaanalysis study, involving 45 studies on adults and nine on children, identified the minor allele “A” of rs9939609 to increase odds of obesity by 1.23-fold/allele. Further, the risk was also shown to be attenuated by PA, wherein the risk odds reduced to 1.22/allele, when compared with the inactive group with odds risk as 1.30/allele, thus exhibiting a risk reduction of 27% among the physically active ( Kilpeläinen et al., 2011 ).

Physical exercise influences physiological, psychological, and genetical changes, which results in producing various benefits, including preventing metabolic and mood disorders.

Aerobic exercise benefits on physiology among sedentary adults have also been evaluated with genetic markers. One such study involved participants in a 30-min submaximal aerobic exercise session and found two variants in the FTO gene, viz rs8044769 and rs3751812, to change positively during exercise ( Karoly et al., 2012 ). The CREB1 gene variants, viz rs2253206 and rs2360969, were linked to change in body temperature during exercise and with maximal oxygen capacity (VO 2 max). The variant rs1379659 ( SLIT2 gene) and rs1935881 ( FAM5C gene) were linked to changes in norepinephrine during exercise, whereas the OPRM1 variant rs1799971 was linked to changes in norepinephrine, lactate, as well as the rate of perceived exertion during exercise. This highlights the impact of genetic markers in determining the outcome and benefit of aerobic exercise ( Cagnin et al., 2019 ). Studies have also identified heritability to affect VO 2 max response to exercise training by 47% ( Jones et al., 2016 ). More than a dozen genetic variants have been linked to exercise-related traits and outcomes, and this paved way for the development of genetics-based algorithms for personalized training programs. One such study report highlighted an algorithm that facilitated the achievement of better results in response to high- and low-intensity RT program by predicting the potential of the athlete for power and endurance by studying 15 genetic markers linked to performance. This algorithm development included two studies involving athletes from different sports and soccer players who were subjected to 8-week low- and high-intensity RT with genetically matched and mismatched. The athletes in the matched group exhibited a significant increase in countermovement jump (CMJ; p = 0.0005) and aerobic 3-min cycle test (Aero3; p = 0.0004), whereas those in the mismatched group hardly exhibited any improvement. Further, among the soccer players, the matched group exhibited better improvement in CMJ and Aero3 ( p < 0.0001). The frequency of nonresponders in this study was found to be 82% from the mismatched group. This reiterates the effectiveness of genetically-tailored exercise programs ( Jones et al., 2016 ). Study literature till date reports on the presence of 36 genetic markers from mitochondrial DNA, Y chromosome, as well as autosomal genes to be linked to elite athlete status, whereas 39 genetic markers from 19 genes and mitochondrial DNA have been linked to interindividual variability in response to endurance/strength training ( Ahmetov and Rogozkin, 2009 ). These findings highlight the significance and need to include genetic signature analysis when utilizing exercise as an intervention for risk, disease, as well as treatment management in known cases.

The benefits of long-term exercise, which include better endurance capacity, stamina, as well as improved oxygen supply to the muscles, have been well documented. However, the kind of benefit that can be induced to alter the genetic status of the individual, including genetic markers are less reported. Genetic markers can also impact the body temperature during exercise, making the entire experience of training either comfortable or unpleasant. Thus, there is an overwhelming amount of scientific evidence which has gathered around the benefits of exercise, which has become a pressing need from the 21st century when the belief on the value of exercise started waning, and that spiked up the era of lifestyle and noncommunicable ailments.

Author Contributions

YW and KA conceived and wrote this manuscript and approved the final version of the manuscript.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Publisher’s Note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge Kishore Kumar for his help in editing the manuscript.

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What are the mental health benefits of exercise?

Other mental health benefits of exercise, reaping the mental health benefits of exercise is easier than you think, overcoming obstacles to exercise, getting started with exercise when you have a mental health issue.

• Easy ways to move more that don't involve the gym

The Mental Health Benefits of Exercise

You already know that exercise is good for your body. But did you know it can also boost your mood, improve your sleep, and help you deal with depression, anxiety, stress, and more?

Exercise is not just about aerobic capacity and muscle size. Sure, exercise can improve your physical health and your physique, trim your waistline, improve your sex life, and even add years to your life. But that’s not what motivates most people to stay active.

People who exercise regularly tend to do so because it gives them an enormous sense of well-being. They feel more energetic throughout the day, sleep better at night, have sharper memories, and feel more relaxed and positive about themselves and their lives. And it’s also a powerful medicine for many common mental health challenges.

Regular exercise can have a profoundly positive impact on depression, anxiety, and ADHD. It also relieves stress, improves memory, helps you sleep better, and boosts your overall mood. And you don’t have to be a fitness fanatic to reap the benefits. Research indicates that 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 problems, improve your energy and outlook, and get more out of life.

Exercise and depression

Studies show that exercise can treat mild to moderate depression as effectively as antidepressant medication—but without the side-effects, of course. As one example, a recent study done by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that running for 15 minutes a day or walking for an hour reduces the risk of major depression by 26%. In addition to relieving depression symptoms , research also shows that maintaining an exercise schedule can prevent you from relapsing.

Exercise is a powerful depression fighter for several reasons. Most importantly, it promotes all kinds of changes in the brain, including neural growth, reduced inflammation, and new activity patterns that promote feelings of calm and well-being. It also releases endorphins, powerful chemicals in your brain that energize your spirits and make you feel good. Finally, exercise can also serve as a distraction, allowing you to find some quiet time to break out of the cycle of negative thoughts that feed depression.

Exercise and anxiety

Exercise is a natural and effective anti-anxiety treatment . It relieves tension and stress, boosts physical and mental energy, and enhances well-being through the release of endorphins. Anything that gets you moving can help, but you’ll get a bigger benefit if you pay attention instead of zoning out.

Try to notice the sensation of your feet hitting the ground, for example, or the rhythm of your breathing, or the feeling of the wind on your skin. By adding this mindfulness element—really focusing on your body and how it feels as you exercise—you’ll not only improve your physical condition faster, but you may also be able to interrupt the flow of constant worries running through your head.

Exercise and stress

Ever noticed how your body feels when you’re under stress ? Your muscles may be tense, especially in your face, neck, and shoulders, leaving you with back or neck pain, or painful headaches. You may feel a tightness in your chest, a pounding pulse, or muscle cramps. You may also experience problems such as insomnia, heartburn, stomachache, diarrhea, or frequent urination. The worry and discomfort of all these physical symptoms can in turn lead to even more stress, creating a vicious cycle between your mind and body.

Exercising is an effective way to break this cycle. As well as releasing endorphins in the brain, physical activity helps to relax the muscles and relieve tension in the body. Since the body and mind are so closely linked, when your body feels better so, too, will your mind.

Exercise and ADHD

Exercising regularly is one of the easiest and most effective ways to reduce the symptoms of ADHD and improve concentration, motivation, memory, and mood. Physical activity immediately boosts the brain’s dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin levels—all of which affect focus and attention. In this way, exercise works in much the same way as ADHD medications such as Ritalin and Adderall.

Exercise and PTSD and trauma

Evidence suggests that by really focusing on your body and how it feels as you exercise, you can actually help your nervous system become “unstuck” and begin to move out of the immobilization stress response that characterizes PTSD or trauma. Instead of allowing your mind to wander, pay close attention to the physical sensations in your joints and muscles, even your insides as your body moves. Exercises that involve cross movement and that engage both arms and legs—such as walking (especially in sand), running, swimming, weight training, or dancing—are some of your best choices.

Outdoor activities like hiking, sailing, mountain biking, rock climbing, whitewater rafting, and skiing (downhill and cross-country) have also been shown to reduce the symptoms of PTSD.

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Even if you’re not suffering from a mental health problem, regular physical activity can still offer a welcome boost to your mood, outlook, and mental well-being.

Exercise can help provide:

Sharper memory and thinking. The same endorphins that make you feel better also help you concentrate and feel mentally sharp for tasks at hand. Exercise also stimulates the growth of new brain cells and helps prevent age-related decline .

Higher self-esteem. Regular activity is an investment in your mind, body, and soul. When it becomes habit, it can foster your sense of self-worth and make you feel strong and powerful. You’ll feel better about your appearance and, by meeting even small exercise goals, you’ll feel a sense of achievement.

Better sleep. Even short bursts of exercise in the morning or afternoon can help regulate your sleep patterns . If you prefer to exercise at night, relaxing exercises such as yoga or gentle stretching can help promote sleep.

More energy. Increasing your heart rate several times a week will give you more get-up-and-go. Start off with just a few minutes of exercise per day, and increase your workout as you feel more energized.

Stronger resilience. When faced with mental or emotional challenges in life, exercise can help you build resilience and cope in a healthy way, instead of resorting to alcohol, drugs, or other negative behaviors that ultimately only make your symptoms worse. Regular exercise can also help boost your immune system and reduce the impact of stress.

You don’t need to devote hours out of your busy day to train at the gym, sweat buckets, or run mile after monotonous mile to reap all the physical and mental health benefits of exercise. Just 30-minutes of moderate exercise five times a week is enough. And even that can be broken down into two 15-minute or even three 10-minute exercise sessions if that’s easier.

Even a little bit of activity is better than nothing

If you don’t have time for 15 or 30 minutes of exercise, or if your body tells you to take a break after 5 or 10 minutes, for example, that’s okay, too. Start with 5- or 10-minute sessions and slowly increase your time. The more you exercise, the more energy you’ll have, so eventually you’ll feel ready for a little more. The key is to commit to some moderate physical activity—however little—on most days. As exercising becomes a habit, you can slowly add extra minutes or try different types of activities. If you keep at it, the benefits of exercise will begin to pay off.

You don’t have to suffer to get results

Research shows that moderate levels of exercise are best for most people . Moderate means:

• That you breathe a little heavier than normal, but are not out of breath. For example, you should be able to chat with your walking partner, but not easily sing a song.
• That your body feels warmer as you move, but not overheated or very sweaty.

Can’t find time to exercise during the week? Be a weekend warrior

A recent study in the United Kingdom found that people who squeeze their exercise routines into one or two sessions during the weekend experience almost as many health benefits as those who work out more often. So don’t let a busy schedule at work, home, or school be an excuse to avoid activity. Get moving whenever you can find the time—your mind and body will thank you!

Even when you know that exercise will help you feel better, taking that first step is still easier said than done. Obstacles to exercising are very real—particularly when you’re also struggling with a mental health issue.

Here are some common barriers and how you can get past them.

Feeling exhausted. When you’re tired, depressed, or stressed, it seems that working out will just make you feel worse. But the truth is that physical activity is a powerful energizer. Studies show that regular exercise can dramatically reduce fatigue and increase your energy levels. If you are really feeling tired, promise yourself a quick, 5-minute walk. Chances are, once you get moving you’ll have more energy and be able to walk for longer.

Feeling overwhelmed. When you’re stressed or depressed, the thought of adding another obligation to your busy daily schedule can seem overwhelming. Working out just doesn’t seem practical. If you have children, finding childcare while you exercise can also be a big hurdle. However, if you begin thinking of physical activity as a priority (a necessity for your mental well-being), you’ll soon find ways to fit small amounts of exercise into even the busiest schedule.

Feeling hopeless. Even if you’ve never exercised before, you can still find ways to comfortably get active. Start slow with easy, low-impact activities a few minutes each day, such as walking or dancing.

Feeling bad about yourself. Are you your own worst critic? It’s time to try a new way of thinking about your body. No matter your weight, age or fitness level, there are plenty of others in the same boat. Ask a friend to exercise with you. Accomplishing even the smallest fitness goals will help you gain body confidence and improve how you think about yourself.

Feeling pain. If you have a disability, severe weight problem, arthritis, or any injury or illness that limits your mobility, talk to your doctor about ways to safely exercise . You shouldn’t ignore pain, but rather do what you can, when you can. Divide your exercise into shorter, more frequent chunks of time if that helps, or try exercising in water to reduce joint or muscle discomfort.

Many of us find it hard enough to motivate ourselves to exercise at the best of times. But when you feel depressed, anxious, stressed or have another mental health problem, it can seem doubly difficult. This is especially true of depression and anxiety, which can leave you feeling trapped in a catch-22 situation. You know exercise will make you feel better, but depression has robbed you of the energy and motivation you need to work out, or your social anxiety means you can’t bear the thought of being seen at an exercise class or running through the park.

Start small. When you’re under the cloud of anxiety or depression and haven’t exercised for a long time, setting extravagant goals like completing a marathon or working out for an hour every morning will only leave you more despondent if you fall short. Better to set achievable goals and build up from there.

Schedule workouts when your energy is highest. Perhaps you have most energy first thing in the morning before work or school or at lunchtime before the mid-afternoon lull hits? Or maybe you do better exercising for longer at the weekends. If depression or anxiety has you feeling tired and unmotivated all day long, try dancing to some music or simply going for a walk. Even a short, 15-minute walk can help clear your mind, improve your mood, and boost your energy level. As you move and start to feel a little better, you’ll often boost your energy enough to exercise more vigorously—by walking further, breaking into a run, or adding a bike ride, for example.

Focus on activities you enjoy. Any activity that gets you moving counts. That could include throwing a Frisbee with a dog or friend, walking laps of a mall window shopping, or cycling to the grocery store. If you’ve never exercised before or don’t know what you might enjoy, try a few different things. Activities such as gardening or tackling a home improvement project can be great ways to start moving more when you have a mood disorder—as well as helping you become more active, they can also leave you with a sense of purpose and accomplishment.

Be comfortable. Wear clothing that’s comfortable and choose a setting that you find calming or energizing. That may be a quiet corner of your home, a scenic path, or your favorite city park.

Reward yourself. Part of the reward of completing an activity is how much better you’ll feel afterwards, but it always helps your motivation to promise yourself an extra treat for exercising. Reward yourself with a hot bubble bath after a workout, a delicious smoothie, or with an extra episode of your favorite TV show, for example.

Make exercise a social activity. Exercising with a friend or loved one, or even your kids, will not only make exercising more fun and enjoyable, it can also help motivate you to stick to a workout routine. You’ll also feel better than if you were exercising alone. In fact, when you’re suffering from a mood disorder such as depression, the companionship can be just as important as the exercise.

Easy ways to move more that don’t involve the gym

Don’t have a 30-minute block of time to dedicate to yoga or a bike ride? Don’t worry. Think about physical activity as a lifestyle rather than just a single task to check off your to-do list. Look at your daily routine and consider ways to sneak in activity here, there, and everywhere.

Move in and around your home. Clean the house, wash the car, tend to the yard and garden, mow the lawn with a push mower, sweep the sidewalk or patio with a broom.

Sneak activity in at work or on the go. Bike or walk to an appointment rather than drive, use stairs instead of elevators, briskly walk to the bus stop then get off one stop early, park at the back of the lot and walk into the store or office, or take a vigorous walk during your coffee break.

Get active with the family. Jog around the soccer field during your kid’s practice, make a neighborhood bike ride part of your weekend routine, play tag with your children in the yard, go canoeing at a lake, walk the dog in a new place.

Get creative with exercise ideas. Pick fruit at an orchard, boogie to music, go to the beach or take a hike, gently stretch while watching television, organize an office bowling team, take a class in martial arts, dance, or yoga.

Make exercise a fun part of your everyday life

You don’t have to spend hours in a gym or force yourself into long, monotonous workouts to experience the many benefits of exercise. These tips can help you find activities you enjoy and start to feel better, look better, and get more out of life.

More Information

• Greer, T. L., Trombello, J. M., Rethorst, C. D., Carmody, T. J., Jha, M. K., Liao, A., Grannemann, B. D., Chambliss, H. O., Church, T. S., & Trivedi, M. H. (2016). Improvements in psychosocial functioning and health-related quality of life following exercise augmentation in patients with treatment response but non-remitted major depressive disorder: Results from the TREAD study. Depression and Anxiety, 33(9), 870–881. Link
• Kandola, A., Vancampfort, D., Herring, M., Rebar, A., Hallgren, M., Firth, J., & Stubbs, B. (2018). Moving to Beat Anxiety: Epidemiology and Therapeutic Issues with Physical Activity for Anxiety. Current Psychiatry Reports, 20(8), 63. Link
• Aylett, E., Small, N., & Bower, P. (2018). Exercise in the treatment of clinical anxiety in general practice – a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Health Services Research, 18(1), 559. Link
• Stubbs, B., Vancampfort, D., Rosenbaum, S., Firth, J., Cosco, T., Veronese, N., Salum, G. A., & Schuch, F. B. (2017). An examination of the anxiolytic effects of exercise for people with anxiety and stress-related disorders: A meta-analysis. Psychiatry Research, 249, 102–108. Link
• Kandola, A. A., Osborn, D. P. J., Stubbs, B., Choi, K. W., & Hayes, J. F. (2020). Individual and combined associations between cardiorespiratory fitness and grip strength with common mental disorders: A prospective cohort study in the UK Biobank. BMC Medicine, 18(1), 303. Link

More in Exercise & Fitness

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Physical Exercise and Mental Health, Essay Example

Pages: 3

Words: 925

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Introduction

The value of physical exercise to the body cannot be overemphasized. Even though there are many perspectives pertaining to its appropriateness, physical exercise has numerous benefits, which cannot be outweighed by any other mechanism applied to the human body. This research embodies  ananalysis of the usefulness of physical exercise in maintaining mental health. First a reflection of characteristics that constitute physical exercise would be undertaken and second, perspectives of mental health will be outlined in relation to the topic. Finally,ananalysis relating the benefits of physical exercise  to mental will be explored.

Physical exercise

Physical exercise is a concept used to describe any activity the body is allowed to access that helps in maintaining or enhancing a person’s health and well-being.  This includes strategies that provide vitality to organs in the body such the heart, lungs, muscular/ skeletal systems, kidneys, brain. Benefits are immense because this engagement allows athletesto master their skills through maintaining body weight, expiration and inspiration activities along with activating glands to produce perspiration. Perspiring is a significant excretory mechanism, which is often inadequately addressed in modern sciences due to attempts of inhibiting the odor (Hardman &Stensel, 2009).                .

The use of antiperspirants causes glands to limit perspiration production and sabotages the excretory process. Subsequently, many physical disturbances occur due to toxin built up Analysts have also confirmed that engaging in regular physical exercise greatly reduces incidences of heart disease, stroke, postpones aging, heart attacks, stimulating the immune system to function efficiently and reducing incidences of type 2 diabetes (Hardman &Stensel, 2009).

Mental health

Mental health relates to the extent psychological well-being is sustained. Essentially, from a non-scientific perspective mental health is the absencepersonality  disordersand brain dysfunction. When viewedfrom a holistic paradigm mental health includes a person’s ability to enjoy and appreciate the values of life. According to psychologists who investigate the human personality mental health could embrace attainment of lower level needs and reaching the highest self-actualization stage. Therefore, in reality mental health could also encompass one’s ability to appropriately cope with adversity and still remain balanced psychologically((Demyttenaere, Bruffaerts& Posada-Villa, 2004).

Further, World health Organization advances that a subjective wellbeing exists whereby a person’s equilibrium is related to the extent of autonomy is articulated; competence  expressed; intergenerational independence is executed and intellectual self-actualization is achieved. According to WHO, it also encompasses the person’s integration potential. This means a cohesiveability appropriatelyaligning one’s self to people, social and physical environments as well as staying connected. Ultimately, it must be clarified that there are diverse theories infirming mental health characteristics (Demyttenaere et.al, 2004).

The American psychological association has definite guidelines for interpreting and diagnosing mental disorders. However, scientists have admitted that it is difficult determining the extent to which mental health classifications are applicable across cultures and social environments. The primary concern of this discussion is analyzing the extent physical exercise promotes mental health or features of personality development consistent with adequate health mental. My theory relates to the perspective that it does promote mental health(Demyttenaere et.al, 2004).

If physical exercise is expected to enhance bodily functions; prevent disease and promote mental and social well-being, then, its role in mental health must be significant. Analysts have confirmed that it has immense impacts on depression; promotes self-esteem; augments a person’s body appeal, which stimulates physical attraction. Health care providers prescribe physical exercise in many of their health promotion strategies. It is often recognized as the miracle/wonder drug for a number of emotional issues. Therefore, if mental health relates to a person’s self-esteem, emotional equilibrium, physical exercise is then a major source of mental health maintenance.

For example, factors responsible for depression include low self-esteem, obesity, anxiety and stress. Research shows where endorphins are produced when people engage in physical activities. Further, studies reveal that this secretion initiates a response known as the runner high, linked to a euphoria created when physical activity is produced. Endorphin is an effective natural pain reliever and serves as an antidepressant when people experience various degree of the condition (Hardman Stensel, 2009).

Theories relating the release of other substances indicate thatanandamide is also a runner high initiator. Supporting researchconfirmedthatserotonin along with endorphin andanandamide levels are elevated in the blood stream. They remain that way days after physical exercise was experienced. Importantly, these endocrine secretions are responsible for mood stabilization weight management, which often affects mental health and ultimately improves self-esteem(Power, 2010).

It has been proven also that physical exercise alone combined with proper nutrition can maintain excellent mental health. There are more studies confirming successful application of physical exercise in depression prevention therapies. Analysts advanced that physical exercise is most effective on mental health when conducted as a group in gym settings or group walking therapies (Power, 2010).

The foregoing research highlighted perspectives relating the impact of physical exercise on mental health reflecting on differing viewpoints. Viewpoints on this subject differ based on classifications of mental health and physical exercise, which were clarified before an analysis was offered. Ultimately, in my point of view once a line of demarcation is drawn between mental health and mental disorder there is no need to differ regardingwhether physical exercise contributes to mental health. Physical exercise is necessary for the perpetuation of life itself.

Demyttenaere, K.Bruffaerts, R., & Posada-Villa, J. (2004). WHO World Mental Health Survey Consortium. Prevalence, severity, and unmet need for treatment of mental disorders in the World Health Organization World Mental Health Survey. Journal of the American Medical Association . 291 (21); 2581–2590

Hardman, A., &Stensel, D. (2009). Physical Activity and Health: The Evidence Explained. London: Routledge

Power, A. (2010). Transforming the Nation’s Health: Next Steps in Mental Health Promotion. American Journal of Public Health 100 (12); 2343–6.

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Home — Essay Samples — Nursing & Health — Physical Exercise — The Effects Of Physical Activity On Mental Health

The Effects of Physical Activity on Mental Health

• Categories: Physical Exercise

About this sample

Words: 1231 |

Published: Feb 9, 2022

Words: 1231 | Pages: 3 | 7 min read

Works Cited

• “Depression and Anxiety: Exercise Eases Symptoms.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 27 Sept. 2017, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/depression-and-exercise/art-20046495.
• Edward R. Laskowski, M.D. “How Much Exercise Do You Really Need?” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 27 Apr. 2019, www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/expert-answers/exercise/faq-20057916.
• “Facts Statistics.” Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA, adaa.org/about-adaa/press-room/facts-statistics.
• “Physical Activity Basics | Physical Activity | CDC.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019, www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/index.htm.
• “The Mental Health Benefits of Exercise.” HelpGuide.org, 19 June 2019, www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-living/the-mental-health-benefits-of-exercise.htm.
• “Why It Matters | Physical Activity | CDC.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019, www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/about-physical-activity/why-it-matters.html.
• “7 Great Reasons Why Exercise Matters.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 11 May 2019, www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise/art-20048389.

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Home / Essay Samples / Health / Physical Exercise / The Benefits of Exercise for Mental and Physical Health

The Benefits of Exercise for Mental and Physical Health

• Category: Health
• Topic: Exercise , Physical Exercise

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Physical health benefits, mental health benefits, social and emotional benefits.

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