Find Out Why Exercise is Good for Mental Health

We found this article on the ABC website which has valued facts about exercising and mental health issues. A great read!

Exercise is Good for Mental Health? Just a myth or a fact?

The physical health benefits of exercise are well researched and understood. But what do we really know about exercise and its effect on our mental health?

We’re always being told to do more exercise! Because of the masses of evidence, it wards off a host of nasty illnesses. However, if you’re someone who uses a good walk, runs or gym workout to shake off stress or lift a low mood, there’s some science on your side too.

While there’s less known about the effect of exercise on your mind compared to your body, what is known suggests it’s likely to beneficial and generally unlikely to cause harm, says mental health expert Professor Tony Jorm.

“It’s one of those things that even though the evidence isn’t rock-solid, there are other potential benefits and the risk of harm is so minimal, it’s a good thing to do,” says Jorm, one the authors of a recent position statement on exercise and mental health commissioned by Exercise and Sports Science Australia.

“Exercise is about as low risk as you can get and the side effects are about as minimal as you can get.”

And the benefits for physical health are so extensive, that even if it doesn’t help your mood or mental state, “it will potentially help a whole lot of other things”.

Get moving, get happy?

Whether it’s pounding the pavement on a daily run, clocking up laps in the pool or salsa dancing, those who make a habit of exercise often say one thing that helps them stick at it is that it simply makes them feel good.

Dr Nicola Burton, the senior research fellow in the University of Queensland’s school of human movement studies, says when it comes to exercise “we’re not only talking about preventing poor mental health or treating it but promoting good mental health. Even if you don’t have depression or anxiety or a serious mental illness that you want help managing, you can enhance your wellbeing and vitality.”

This is because exercise can boost mood, concentration, alertness, and even your propensity to look on the bright side, she says.

“We’ve just done a study showing people who engage in regular exercise experience higher levels of optimism.”

Indeed not only does research show regular exercisers have better mental health and emotional wellbeing and lower rates of mental illness, but studies that track people over time show taking up physical exercise seems to reduce the risk of developing mental disorders.

For instance, a 2011 Dutch study of more than 7000 adults found that doing exercise reduced the risk of developing a mood or anxiety disorder over the following three years, even when controlling for socioeconomic factors and physical illnesses.

But the relationship between exercise and mental health is “complex and bidirectional” – in that inactivity can be both a cause and consequence of mental illness, says Jorm, from the Centre for Mental Health at the University of Melbourne.

“When people get a problem like depression or severe mental illness, it affects their motivation and enjoyment of life, and that can drive physical activity down. But there’s also probably a reciprocal effect, in that when they exercise less, that seems to make [their mental health] matters worse.”

The Exercise Prescription

Exactly how exercise might boost mood isn’t well understood. Some possibilities are that it:

• helps you sleep better
• gives you an improved sense of control, coping ability and self-esteem
• provides a distraction from negative thoughts and a chance to have new experiences
• offers an opportunity to socialise and get social support if done with others
• changes the levels of chemicals in the brain, such as serotonin, stress hormones and endorphins. (substances that can block pain and may also enhance feelings of wellbeing).

There’s also no clear evidence on which type of exercise works best. In addition, or how much is needed to bring about different effects? While intense exercise may have greater benefits. It’s better to start at a low level. Then, gradually build up than aim too high and risk being turned off, says Jorm. Thirty minutes brisk walking a few times a week is a good general starting point, he suggests. You don’t have to do the 30 minutes all in one go. However, it’s best if you do it in blocks no shorter than 10 minutes.

For many people with mild depression or anxiety, that “maybe sufficient to produce some improvement in their mood; to stop it worsening so they don’t have to go off and get other types of treatment,” he says. “I think it should be universally used.”

“I think there also could be value in increasing the level of activity in the population as a preventive measure.”

Jorm himself cycles daily, including to and from work, and rarely uses a car or public transport. He describes himself as “one of the fortunate people who has a very stable mood”. However, says the exercise nonetheless benefits him mentally.

“It gives me a positive feeling. I miss it if I don’t do it.”

On longer trips, he finds he is flooded with creative thoughts and afterwards notices a definite improvement in his sleep.

“To me, it’s like the sleep of childhood, the sort of deeper sleep that is very satisfying.”

Source: http://www.abc.net.au