The Benefits of Regular Exercise for Your Mental Health
The physical benefits that exercise has on the body are widely known. It reduces the risk of major illnesses, such as heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. Regular exercise is important for keeping your body healthy, maintaining good bone strength, mobility and a strong immune system. Regular exercise can have a positive impact on depression, anxiety, and ADHD. It also relieves stress, improves memory, helps you sleep better, and boosts your overall mood. You also don't have to be a fitness fanatic to reap the benefits. Research has shown that even small amounts of exercise can make a difference to your physical & mental health. Regardless of age or fitness level, exercise is a powerful tool to feel better and hence improve mental health.
In today’s blog, we’ll focus on metal health and discuss the definitions of mental health, the benefits of exercise on mental health and in particular a focus on Yoga and Pilates.
“Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.” MentalHealth.gov website.
It can encompass conditions such as depression and anxiety as well, however looking after one’s mental health doesn’t always mean that these are present. Mental health can also be viewed as having a strong mind that helps you to handle the stresses that life throws your way.
Exercise and Mental Health
Regular exercise is good for mental health in the following ways:
Exercise releases chemicals known as endorphins that help you feel good and improve your mood.
Exercise can help to reduce stress
Exercise can help to boost self-esteem and confidence
Exercise helps to improve sleep which in turn can help with stress and improving mental health. People who exercise regularly also tend to sleep better than those who don't.
Exercise makes us feel more energised. Even a short burst of 10 minutes of brisk walking increases our energy levels, so we're mentally sharper and more productive.
In particular, Yoga and Pilates are both great for improving and maintaining a strong mental health. Let’s look at each of them in more detail:
Yoga and Mental Health
Yoga is an ancient system of physical and mental practices that focus on building strength and flexibility in your body and mind. Most modern yoga classes concentrate on using postures and breathing practices to promote improved control of the mind and body and enhanced well-being.
Yoga is good for mental health in a number of ways:
Helps to relax the body. Yoga often stimulates the body’s parasympathetic nervous system which is the rest, digest and repair state in the body. It is here where we are most calm and where healing can occur.
Mindfulness. Yoga allows you to be in a mindful state which is a type of meditation-like state. Whilst being mindful you are aware of what you are sensing and feeling in the moment. This practice can be calming and help when the mind is racing.
Mind body connection. Yoga is known for the ability to connect the mind and the body. Traditional medicine and healing have always believed that there is a connection between the mind and body. Holistically, looking after oneself addresses both the mind and the body.
Breathing and Meditation. Many yoga practices include both breathing techniques and mediation. Breathwork practice is one of the best ways to lower stress in the body. Meditation can also help with mental health by increasing awareness, clarity and creating a sense of calm.
One study done by the Headspace app showed that those using the app for 4 weeks had an increased focus of 14%. Another study showed that just one use of the headspace app cut mind-wandering by 22%.
Pilates and Mental Health
Pilates has become very popular in recent years due to its many benefits. These include improved overall strength, toned muscles, improved posture, better balance and reduction in pain. It also helps to strengthen the spine and increase mobility.
Pilates is good for mental health in the following ways:
Pilates is a “complete coordination of the body, mind and spirit” ~ Joseph Pilates. The original Pilates exercise focused on performing each movement with total concentration and control of both the body and the breath. Having complete attention focused on what you are doing in the moment helps to calm and relax your mind.
Greater stamina, increased strength, improved flexibility, improved posture. These all add up to an overall sense of wellbeing which can improve and maintain a healthy mental health.
Greater body awareness and trust which only comes from exercising and getting to know your body.
Builds resilience which helps to build a strong mental health particularly if there has been an injury. For instance, Pilates can help with building strength and resilience and body awareness after a car accident.
Breathing. Like Yoga, Pilates also focuses on synchronizing your breathing with your movements.
Social Interaction and Mental Health:
Another aspect of mental health that is also so important is connection. We are creatures of connection and our mental health is much happier when we are connected.
The social aspect of working out in a class environment, such as with Yoga and Pilates can further elevate the mood.
In one study, the women who were assigned the task of walking were told to go out and walk for 30 minutes a day. But they didn't have any social support. They simply walked on their own.
The other group was told to go out and walk for 30 minutes a day, but they were told that when they walked, they should make it a social event. So instead of walking by themselves, they would walk with friends or family members. By making it a social activity, the emotional support provided by the social connection helped to reduce stress and created a positive feeling towards exercise. This increased the chances of people coming back again.
Researchers found that at the end of 12 months, more than 80% of the women who had received social support were still walking regularly as compared to only 50% of those who had not received any social support. This is just one example of many that show how important the social aspect of exercise can be in helping you develop and maintain an exercise routine and help to improve mental health.
Overall, exercise has many benefits to improving and maintaining good mental health. In particular Yoga and Pilates have specific benefits including increased self-awareness, self esteem, calming of the nervous system and increasing social connection which are all important for mental health.
If you live in the Murray Bridge area and would like to give Yoga or Pilates a try in a relaxed and inclusive environment, why not come along to one (or more) of my classes? They are held every Monday and Thursday night during South Australian school terms
Check out the class schedule here
Sam