by Holly Sherrill, M.D., PGY-4 Resident
We all know the physical benefits of regular exercise, but it can be easy to forget that exercise also plays a vital role in maintaining mental wellness. People who consistently exercise sleep better at night, feel more energetic during the day, have higher self-esteem, and have better memory spans. Exercise can also play an integral role in the treatment of various mental illnesses.
Benefits in mental illnesses
- Depression: Studies have shown that exercise can be as effective as antidepressant medication when used to treat mild to moderate depression. Additionally, regular exercise can help prevent a recurrent depressive episodes. How does it do this? By inducing neural growth, reducing inflammation, and releasing endorphins, which are the happy chemicals in your brain. Having a schedule and some quiet time to yourself every day also helps fight depression.
- Anxiety and PTSD: Exercise can be a wonderful mindfulness activity, and mindfulness is an excellent treatment for anxiety. As you work out, pay attention to all the sensations in your body and focus on the here and now, rather than ruminating about past or future stressors. Mindfulness as well as the exercise itself can both relieve tension and stress.
- ADHD: Exercise increases the brain’s dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin levels which leads to improved motivation, memory, mood, and concentration. In milder cases of ADHD, exercise may effectively replace stimulant medications.
- Addiction: As mentioned above, exercise increases dopamine, which is the brain’s reward chemical also released by sex, drugs, alcohol, and food. As a result, working out can aid in addiction recovery by providing a healthier way to release dopamine into the brain. Additionally, it serves as a good distraction from using and helps to reset the body’s circadian rhythm, which is often thrown out of whack by substances.
Tips for getting started
- A little activity is better than nothing. You don’t have to become a cross-fit junkie or a marathon runner to gain the benefits of exercise. A healthy dose of exercise would be five 30-minute sessions of moderate exercise per week. But if you can’t squeeze that in, a five minute yoga session or walk around the neighborhood is better than none at all. If fact, starting small is the smartest thing to do. If you push yourself too hard in the beginning, it will be difficult (and possibly dangerous) to maintain your new level of activity – which may lead to feelings of failure if you can’t follow through.
- You don’t have to make yourself miserable. If you feel like you can’t breathe, take a break. Don’t push yourself too hard. You should be able to comfortably chat with someone next to you, but aim for a slightly elevated hard rate and work of breathing than your baseline. You should feel warm as you exercise, but you don’t necessarily need to be extremely sweaty. If you start to feel overheated, take a break and grab some water. Make sure to schedule your workout at a time of day when you feel the best. If you’re not a morning person, don’t make yourself get up at 5 a.m. for a jog. You’ll start to dread that alarm clock, and it is unlikely you will maintain the routine. Also, choose an activity you’re likely to enjoy – dance, yoga, jogging, biking, soccer, hiking – the possibilities are vast. If you hate running, don’t run. If you hate going to the gym and lifting weights, don’t do that.
- Recognize obstacles you are placing for yourself. It’s easy to make excuses about why we can’t exercise today – recognize these excuses and push through those barriers. Too tired? Good news: exercise boosts energy. Too overwhelmed? Take some time for yourself and go for a walk. In pain? Talk to your healthcare provider about safe options for your limitations, then keep in mind that movement can improve most causes of joint and/or muscle discomfort. Feeling hopeless about getting into shape? Remember that any little bit of exercise can help, and you have to start somewhere.
For more information and ideas about exercise and how to get started, visit https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-living/how-to-start-exercising-and-stick-to-it.htm.