Exercise & Mental Health

Does Exercise Benefit Your Mental Health?

The science shows that all forms of exercise can help shift mood onto a more positive state. This includes aerobic exercise (e.g., running, walking, swimming, bicycle riding), anaerobic exercise (e.g., weight training), low intensity exercise (e.g., yoga), and all types of exercise classes and activities.

The evidence is clear that all forms of exercise, when undertaken regularly, can alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression to similar effect, in some instances, as psychotherapy and/or drug therapy (e.g., anti-depressants).

Aerobic exercise has been found to lower states of anxiety and raise tranquillity levels to similar effect as relaxation exercise, but the effect lasts longer after aerobic exercise than after relaxation exercise.

Exercise intensity between 30-70% of maximum heart rate results in the greatest reduction of anxiety. Low intensity exercise of between 30-50% does also show a reduction in anxiety but just not as great.

While exercising once a week can produce a reduction in depression, exercise produces larger antidepressant effects when the training program is at least nine (9) weeks long and is at a frequency of three to five times per week.

Other measured benefits of exercise include:

• greater levels of self-acceptance
• improved positive feelings towards others (e.g., trust, caring, empathy),
• improved sense of autonomy (i.e., self-agency and intrinsic motivation across all aspects of life), and
• greater sense of personal fulfillment and purpose in life.

Exercise Dependence: The Dark Side Of Committing To Exercise

Exercise dependence grows out of a combination of biological, psychological and social influences.

• Biological Influences: Exercise releases endorphins and dopamine, which are the same neurotransmitters released during drug use. An exercise addict feels reward and joy when exercising due to this biological release. But when the exercise stops, the neurotransmitters ease off. So excessive commitment to exercise builds as the need to trigger the chemical release builds.
• Psychological Influences: This includes a matrix of faulty attitudes and beliefs around self-image, body concept, and the underlying meaning and value of exercise in the person’s life. For example, when a person’s identity is held together by being seen primarily as strong and fit… they can lose sight of all other aspects of who they are and only see themselves as someone who exercises. This can result in the person believing that nothing else, other than exercise, is of value or has meaning.
• Social Influences: This includes social pressures around the ‘perfect’ body type and a sense of belonging and value stemming primarily from being fit, strong and/or physically competitive in sport and/or notable physical prowess.

Six Signs of Exercise Addiction

1. Exercise starts to dominate the person’s life and thoughts to the detriment of other things in their life, like their work, study, relationships, other hobbies and interests.
2. Exercise becomes the primary, if not only way, to cope with stress and uncomfortable feelings.
3. More effort and time need to be spent exercising to get the desired effect of dealing with stress and uncomfortable feelings.
4. When not exercising (e.g., if sick) the person becomes more irritable, moody, and distracted etc. They ultimately feel they cannot cope because they are not able to exercise
5. Interpersonal conflict increases whereby the exercise addict’s goal to exercise, and always think about exercise, interferes with their interpersonal relationships at home and at work.
6. Attempts to change excessive exercise regimes fail whereby, for example, attempts to bring in the normal training cycles of off seasons, peak seasons, rest and recovery fail.

Two types of exercise addiction

Primary exercise dependence: Exercise is an end in itself, although it may include altered eating behaviours for the purpose of enhancing performance.

Secondary exercise dependence: Exercise is a symptom of another primary pathological condition, such as an eating disorder.

How To Keep A Positive Approach Towards Your Commitment To Exercise

The goal is to keep your commitment to exercise in check and not have it define you. It is a part of what you choose to do in your life rather than it defining who you are! 

Also, it’s about Life Balance. Life is about embracing an array of things we value and appreciate. Exercise should be just one of many things we embrace and enjoy doing. It’s then keeping all those things we embrace and enjoy, in balance.

What Are The Key ‘Take-Homes’ About Exercise & Mental Health?

All forms of exercise are great in their contribution to facilitate positive mental health and overall well-being. While it isn’t a cure all… nothing is!

The bottom line is, exercise does contribute in very significant ways to our mental health and well-being. The key is, don’t get obsessed by it. It’s about making exercise a part of your life, by just that… it’s a part of your life… it’s not everything!

Mix it up with a variety of things that you love to do. Don’t think you need to ‘tough it out’. If you lose interest, change the type of exercise you do. If you don’t feel up to exercising on the day… then don’t!

The body’s made to move, so it’s about finding how you personally like to move and at the intensity that feels comfortable for you. Have fun with it… enjoy!

If you want to learn more about high performance sport psychology Follow this link to one of my online professional development workshops in Foundations In Sport Psychology.