Mental Health Benefits of Exercise

Why do you exercise? While working out is great and provides a ton of benefits, doing it for the wrong reasons can cause more harm than good. Most people think of exercise as a way to lose weight or improve their body image; and while this can be a helpful motivator, the long-term benefits stretch well beyond the physical component.

One of the most overlooked perks of regular activity is the impact it has on mental health. Being physically fit and “looking good” doesn’t mean much if you’re stressed out, anxious, or suffering from poor cognitive function. So with that said, let’s look at the top five mental health benefits that exercise provides:

1. Decreased Depression
   It’s no secret that exercise releases endorphins, we’ve all heard that before. Well, this boost of serotonin and dopamine makes us happier, simple as that. In fact, regular exercise has been shown to be as effective as antidepressant medication on individuals with mild depression.

   **NOTE: this is not the case for more severe or chronic depression, and exercise is not meant to replace medication without supervision. Always follow the advice and directions of your medical professional.**

2. Less Stress & Anxiety
   Technically these are two benefits, but they go hand-in-hand, so we’re grouping them together. The impact of exercise on stress and anxiety is both physiological and psychological.
   
   Throughout the day, we accumulate adrenaline and cortisol as we encounter stressors. Physical activity helps to decrease the levels of these hormones in the body, thus decreasing the stress and tension we feel from the day’s events. As these stressors become alleviated, the anxiety that comes with all that pressure also sheds away.
   
   Psychologically, exercise is simply a distraction. If your day is filled with one activity after another, constantly putting you under pressure, spending 45-60 minutes focusing on your movement allows your brain to take a break from all of that. It’s almost like your brain is taking a seat after a long run.
3. Improved Sleep Quality
   This benefit kind of overlaps with the prior section, but for good reason. It’s pretty obvious that anxiety makes it difficult to sleep – that’s when we hit the pillow and then our mind starts racing and we can’t fall asleep. So, decreasing anxiety through exercise allows us to feel more calm and fall asleep.
   
   Additionally, exercise is exhausting, thus making us more tired and at need for greater recovery. As a result, the body naturally increases the amount of deep sleep we get throughout the night; which is crucial, since deep sleep is what makes up feel more rested. Remember: it’s not just about getting 8 hours of sleep – the quality of that sleep is even more important!
4. Cognitive Function
   When we work out, blood flow increases throughout the entire body (except the digestive system, where it temporarily decreases). Most of the increased blood flow goes to the working muscles, but the brain also gets a big hit. Since blood carries oxygen, the brain has more energy as a result of regular activity, leading to improved memory, focus, and capacity to learn.
5. Improved Self-esteem
   This is one is a bit tricky, because it can overlap with body image, which we already discussed. However, the main focus here is accomplishment. Sticking with a regular workout routine can make us feel successful, increasing confidence to complete other tasks; or seeing improvements, such as lifting heavier weights or running faster, can cause a huge boost to self-esteem. These little wins in the gym translate to a much more positive outlook on life overall.

With the rise in social media and fitness influencers, it’s very easy to get caught up in a variety of fitness trends and trying to look “ripped”. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to improve body composition and look better, if that’s your goal — as long as it doesn’t preoccupy you. As great as exercise can be for improving mental health, overdoing it or going about it the wrong way can actually worsen the aforementioned characteristics. Just something to be aware of as you determine and strive for your goals!