Strong body, strong mind: How exercise can boost our mental health
Experts agree that a regular exercise routine can ease symptoms of depression and anxiety, and uplift our mood.
KALPANA MAHENDRAN13 Feb 2025 02:00pm
However, evidence shows that exercise can also be a useful tool in mental health care; it can ease the symptoms of depression and anxiety in patients, and can even prevent those symptoms from returning once a patient’s mood has already stabilised.
The link is still being researched, but experts do know that exercise releases endorphins, which are mood-boosting chemicals produced by the brain. These endorphins trigger positive feelings much like morphine does.
They also act as a sedative, which can calm anxious feelings. Unlike morphine, however, endorphins are non-addictive over time.
HOW DOES EXERCISE HELP?
Those suffering from clinical depression often report low mood, lack of energy, unstable sleep patterns, and chronic pain. While it is not a replacement for medication, physical activity can be a useful preventative tool for these problems in conjunction with other healthy lifestyle habits.
The sedative effect of endorphins can reduce chronic pain and regulate sleep, while their mood-boosting effect can increase energy and encourage positive feelings.
Exercise is also a form of mindfulness; concentrating on a workout can break a person out of the negative thought spirals that often accompany depressive or anxious episodes. It is also a much healthier coping mechanism for stress than, for example, turning to alcohol or drugs to numb bad feelings.
WHICH EXERCISES ARE BEST?
The thought of a structured gym routine can feel daunting, especially when poor mental health may cause a person to struggle even with simple day-to-day activities.
The good news is that you do not need to do intense, structured exercise. Any physical activity seems to work. While running, weight-lifting and pilates are great for mental health, similar benefits can be gained simply from anything that gets you moving. Dancing, gardening, yoga, playing sport with friends, walking outside, or housework are all viable options.
Alternatively, if you struggle to manage exercise on its own, try incorporating movement into your daily routine so it feels less like a chore. For example, consider taking the stairs instead of the lift, or try biking or walking short distances instead of driving. You could also pair exercise with existing hobbies; try walking while talking to friends or stretching while you watch TV.
Ideally, an adult should aim for 75 minutes of intense exercise, or 150 minutes of moderate exercise, a week. However, if this is not feasible, even short sessions are good. Ten or fifteen minutes of exercise at a time can already be beneficial to a person’s mental health. Over time, you can work up to longer and more frequent sessions.
HOW TO BUILD AN EXERCISE HABIT
If you struggle with being consistent, here are some steps that can help you incorporate physical activity more fully.
Pinpoint what you’re struggling with. Often, we avoid exercise for specific reasons. Once we know those reasons, we can effectively address them. For instance, do you feel self-conscious working out around others? If so, try solo activities at home. Do you often have to stop sessions early due to pain? If so, try easy, low-impact activities instead.
Do what you find fun. Do not force yourself into a training regimen if you do not enjoy it. Instead, think about exercises that you would look forward to. For example, if it’s hard to motivate yourself to go jogging, invite your friends to go window shopping as an excuse to walk around the mall.
Create positive associations. The endorphins released from exercise are a benefit on their own, but you can add to them by rewarding yourself for exercising. Try saving your favourite podcast for when you’re on a working out, or plan your route around places you like to visit anyway.
Set reasonable goals for yourself. If 150 minutes of exercise a week is too much, start with 20. If going to the gym is impractical, exercise at home. Rather than trying to do everything at once, just plan your activity around what is sustainable, practical and realistic for you. You will gain benefits from even a small amount of exercise.
There is no such thing as ‘failure’. It is completely normal and expected to do better on some days than on others, especially if you happen to be struggling with mental health. If you find yourself not reaching your goals one week, or falling off track, do not berate yourself. Improving your mental health is a long-term process and will take time.
There is no reason to give up just because you did not do things perfectly; tomorrow is a new day. All you have to do is try again.
Download Sinar Daily application.Click Here!
