Does exercising improve mental health?

What is the relationship between exercise and its impact on mental health?

By now, no one will be surprised by the claim that regular exercise is good for your health. Among other things, we know that it allows us to reduce overweight and obesity, that it strengthens bones and muscles, that it enhances the functioning of the immune system, or that it reduces the risk of suffering from metabolic problems (such as type 2 diabetes) or even the risk of cardiovascular problems.  But beyond the merely physical and physiological, since past it's been affirmed that it also seems to be beneficial for the psychological state of those who practice it.

What is real about this phrase? Does exercising improve mental health? Throughout this article, we are going to make a brief dissertation about it.

Mental health and physical exercise

Mental health and physical exercise has been frequently related since ancient times, finding evidence that physical well-being and the regular practice of exercise also improve the psychological well-being of those who practice it. At present and thanks to the advancement of science, we have much more specific knowledge of different aspects that have been shown to improve with exercise and some of its mechanisms: we know that sport favors the discharge of endorphins, which improves our system and activation threshold, which alters our brain chemistry in such how that it makes us feel better and more active, among other aspects.

Recently, in an investigation carried out by different professionals during the same year and whose conclusions have been published in The Lancet Psychiatry Journal, the effect of exercising on the psychological state has been analyzed and therefore the situation of an outsized sample of patients has been compared. American citizens in terms of a feeling of mental well-being.

Specifically, the number of days of distress and poor mental health that the subjects themselves reported was assessed, finding that on average those who exercise had a lower proportion of days on which they said they felt worse than those who did not (between three and four days of exercise). the difference per month).

Although, as a general rule, all kinds of exercise are positive for improving physical and psychological state (including activities like housework, although their effect is far less), an equivalent study seems to point that a number of the kinds of sport that have the best advantage for the psychological state are people who involve teamwork, aerobic or gym exercise.

Likewise, clinical practice has shown that sport is indicated as highly beneficial for people with certain psychological problems such as depression, anxiety disorders, insomnia, or even cognitive impairment. In fact, it is usually recommended at a preventive level or as a strategy to reduce the symptoms of various problems. Thus, the answer to the question that gives this article its title is a very clear yes.

Aspects that improve with exercise

There is an outsized number of investigations regarding the benefits of sport on our health, both physical and mental. In this last area, a number of the improvements that are seen which make it highly recommended for many subjects, including those that suffer from a neurological or mental problem, are subsequent.

1. Generates endorphins and increases the sensation of well-being

It has been proven that workout causes the discharge of endorphins, endogenous opioids that have a soothing effect and induce a sense of satisfaction, physical and emotional well-being.

2. It allows to improve self-image and self-esteem

The continued practice of sports also has an impact on body image, reducing weight and body fat and toning the body. This, in turn, has an impact on self-image and self-concept, making us feel more attractive, energetic, and agile and in turn increasing self-esteem. In addition, the fact of maintaining a constant routine and discipline makes us look more constant and capable of persevering and fighting for our goals.

3. Improves mood

Based on all the above and as a consequence of the practice of physical exercise, it has been proven that it increases well-being and allows better control and management of the state of mind, facilitating a positive, more stable, and more optimistic emotional tone.

4. Stops and hinders cognitive decline

In large part due to the previous point, it has been observed that people who exercise regularly tend to be less likely to suffer from cognitive impairment or dementia such as Alzheimer's, or to slow the deterioration in the initial stages of these.

5. Encourage discipline

Sport and physical exercise, in addition to concentration requires and favors the ability to maintain a routine and commit to doing something that involves continuous effort over time. Thus, it facilitates the looks of a disciplined attitude which will be extrapolated to other areas of life.

6. Facilitates socialization

Sport may be a sort of activity that moves an outsized number of individuals, being a hobby shared by many. This allows us to have common ground with other people, as well as to facilitate contact with them. There are also a large number of exercises or sports, such as football or basketball, which have teamwork as one of their main bases.

7. Helps to fall asleep

We have all done some exercise on occasion. After doing so, we have probably felt tired and relaxed, being able to sleep more easily if a reasonable amount of time passes between sports and sleep. It has been scientifically proven that, indeed, the regular practice of exercise allows you to fall asleep more easily and hinders the onset of insomnia.

8. Clears, energizes, and increases motivation

Although it seems the opposite of the previous point, the truth is that doing moderate exercise allows the person to relax and increase their energy level in the first moments, as a result of the alterations generated at the physiological level and in brain chemistry (for example, it raises the level of cerebral norepinephrine).

In fact, despite the fact that it allows you to sleep better afterward, it is recommended not to do a physical activity together before going to sleep due to this factor. This increased activity can also increase the level of motivation and involvement towards other goals.

9. Decreases withdrawal symptoms and helps fight addiction

Playing sports may be a recommended activity when fighting against substance dependencies since it hinders and slows down the looks of the will to consume and generates endogenous endorphins that make consumption less necessary, additionally to being an incompatible response with it. The influence during this sense is additionally linked to the alteration of circadian rhythms.

10. Combat stress and anxiety

Another of the problems in which sport is usually prescribed is in the suffering of stress and anxiety since it allows distraction and concentration on the activity itself and at the moment they hinder the continuous rumination of possible concerns.

11. Stimulates proactivity and creativity

Relaxation and the break with worries and thoughts, in addition to the increase in blood flow generated by exercise, allow new ideas and strategies to emerge more easily after playing sports, allowing you to be more creative. Likewise, the rise in energy levels and motivation helps us to be more proactive and solicitous.

12. Increases the power to concentrate and memory, and increases cognitive ability

Another advantage that has been observed is that sport increases the ability to concentrate and focus, as well as memory and general cognitive ability. It has also been seen that this can lead to an improvement in the capacity for academic and work performance.

Likewise, precisely for these reasons, it has been observed that it is beneficial for those with some type of intellectual disability.

An excess is not good either

As we have indicated previously, regular exercise is a great advantage for mental health, as well as physical. However, as with most things, too much exercise can be detrimental. In fact, those that exercise quite three hours each day have a worse level of psychological state than those that don't exercise.

For example, as with other activities that involve an increase in dopamine and endorphins, excessive sports performance can lead to addictive characteristics. In this context, the subject may need increasing amounts of exercise to feel good, arising from feelings of discomfort and restlessness in the absence of the sport.

It can also lead to an overvaluation of body image, giving it too high significance and importance. It is even possible in this context that problems such as bigorexia may appear, in which an obsession with exercise appears in order to obtain a body as muscular as possible. Likewise, the practice of exercise is also used as a purging mechanism by people with eating disorders in order to burn calories and lose weight.

In addition to the above, it can lead to overtraining syndrome, in which excessive training and the absence of sufficient rest periods can burn the person. In this context, problems sleeping, loss of energy or motivation, irritability, and low tolerance to frustration decreased libido, and decreased mood may appear, and should even generate depressive disorders.

In conclusion

Regarding the question that gives rise to this article, the data observed by different studies allow us to conclude that, in effect, the regular practice of exercise improves the mental health of those who carry it out. This improvement is perceptible in many different areas, including the prevention of cognitive deterioration or even the improvement of symptoms in subjects with mental disorders.

Of course, this exercise should be wiped out in moderation and with realistic expectations. generally, it's recommended that the practice of exercise be limited to around 45 (between 30 and 60 minutes) each day between three and five times every week, this being the quantity of daily exercise that the majority increases the extent of psychological state.