Exercise and Mental Health
Mental health is a growing concern in today’s world with 1 in 5 people experiencing mental health issues in a year and almost half of all Australians (45%) experiencing mental health issues in their lifetime[1]. Because this is such a large proportion of the population it is a large issue for Australia as a whole, therefore there are many different treatment paths you can take such as Psychologists/Psychiatrists, medications, counselling and many more. But an often overlooked treatment is exercise, firstly it has many benefits for mental wellbeing such as the following:
- Relieving stress
- Boosting mood
- Improving sleep
Secondly, exercise can also be used to directly treat and manage mental health conditions, with studies showing that exercise can treat mild to moderate depression as effectively as antidepressant medication, exercise has also been shown to be an effective anti-anxiety treatment. Some of the reasons behind this are that exercise can[2]:
- Improve physical and mental energy
- Release Endorphins, the feel good chemicals in the brain
- Serve as a distraction in a stressful situation or a cycle of negative thoughts
- Enhance overall physical and mental wellbeing
- Provide new social interactions
Exercise is a free and effective way to help manage and improve your mental health and I urge you all to try it. This being said don’t feel like you need to start big, start with walking around the block, take the dog for a walk or find any kind of exercise you enjoy. There are hundreds of different ways to exercise and sometimes you just need to find the right one for you, the key is simply making a start.
References
1. Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2009). National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing: Summary of Results, 4326.0, 2007. ABS: Canberra.
2. Robinson, L. Segal, J. Smith, M. (2019). The Mental Health Benefits of Exercise. Retrieved from: https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-living/the-mental-health-benefits-of-exercise.htm
