How to use physical activity to improve mental health

How to use physical activity to improve mental health

Physical activity has lots of benefits for your mental health.  It can help you manage stress, feel more confident and boost your mood.

 It can also ease symptoms of mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.  Still, being physically active can be difficult.  In fact, up to 45% of adults and 30% of children aren’t meeting the government recommendations for physical activity - and this is understandable.

 There are many barriers that can stop you from being physically active.  This guide explores the mental health benefits of physical activity and small strategies to help you add physical activity to your daily routine.

What is physical activity?

 Any movement of the body that makes use of your muscles and consumes energy is considered to be physical activity. 

There are three main types of physical activity: 

Physical activity with a moderate intensity 

Activity that raises your heart rate, makes you breathe faster and makes you feel warmer counts as moderate-intensity physical activity.  This form of movement can include walking, hoovering, or playing with your kids.

 Vigorous activity

 In contrast to moderate-intensity activity, activity causes you to breathe rapidly and your heart to beat more quickly. This form of physical activity can include running, swimming, or dancing.

 Strengthening activities

 Any activity that requires you to contract your muscles with resistance is included in this category. Gravity, water, or a resistance band, for instance, could serve as the resistance. There are many strengthening activities we can do, such as digging, carrying a heavy rucksack, or squat exercises.

How does physical activity improve mental health?

 Physical activity can improve your mental health in multiple ways.  Let's look at some of the main mental health benefits of physical activity: 

1.  It lifts your spirits.

 Endorphins and serotonin, which are chemicals that make you feel good, are released into your brain when you exercise. These can naturally make you feel better, lessen stress, and give you more energy.

2.  It lowers stress levels

 Short-term sleep issues and feelings of overwhelm can be brought on by stress, as can mental health issues and heart disease. 

Your body's level of stress hormones (adrenaline and cortisol) decreases when you exercise, which makes you feel less stressed. Physical activity can also soothe the physical effects of past stress, such as back pain, headaches, neck pain or stomach problems.  This can help your body to relax.

3.  It enhances your self-esteem

 How you feel about yourself, including how much you value and believe in yourself, is called self-esteem. Physical activity can improve how you see yourself and increase your sense of self-worth.  It can also give you a more positive outlook, making it easier to live a satisfying life.

 4.  It reduces symptoms of depression

 Physical activity reduces depression symptoms and provides some protection against depression if you have never experienced it. Any form of physical activity can help relieve depression symptoms.

5.  It lowers anxiety levels

 The physical effects of anxiety on the body and the symptoms of anxiety disorders can both be alleviated through physical activity. It does this in the same way it reduces your stress - the release of endorphins and other feel-good chemicals helps your body feel more relaxed and calm.

  What are the main barriers to exercising?

 There are many barriers that may stop you from getting the physical activity you need.  The main ones tend to be:

 Body image: Being afraid of being judged or feeling self-conscious can make it hard to exercise. You may avoid going outside for a run or to the gym because of fears of what people think.

 Injury or illness: chronic conditions, such as arthritis or chronic fatigue, can limit your options when choosing a physical activity.  You may also worry about making your condition worse, or feel exhausted afterwards.

 Time constraint: Busy schedules can make it difficult to prioritize physical activity. You may feel like you barely have time to pause for breath, let alone add physical activity to your day.

 Financial difficulties: gym memberships, classes and activewear can be expensive.  Physical activity can be more challenging if you live in an area with few safe parks and walkable areas. Feeling depressed, stressed or anxious: depression, anxiety and stress can lead to low energy levels and lower your motivation, sometimes making movement feel overwhelming.

 Lack of energy: tiredness from stress, poor sleep or health conditions can leave you feeling unmotivated to exercise.  It may feel like another thing to add to your seemingly never-ending to-do list.

 Fear of failure: worries about not being “good enough” can hold you back from physical activity.  It may stop you from being consistent or prevent you from starting.

How can I be more physically active for my mental health?

 It's normal to face multiple obstacles when trying to exercise. But these barriers don’t have to stop you from living a physically active life.  Here are some of our suggestions to make it easier to get more physical activity.

1.  Find a form of physical activity you love

 Would you want to do the dishes if you were told that it was good for your mental and physical health? Probably not.  The same applies to being physically active.  You’re more likely to stay physically active and integrate exercise into your life if you find activities you enjoy doing.

2.  Start small and build up over time

 When it comes to getting physically active, it’s easy to get ahead of yourself and make promises that you struggle to keep.  So, it’s best to take your time and gradually increase how physically active you are.

 You can begin by moving for ten minutes each day, adding another ten minutes each week. Before you know it, you’ll be up to 30 minutes of physical activity a day.

3.  Swap inactivity with activity

 Becoming more physically active doesn’t have to involve making elaborate changes to your routine.  Instead, it could involve making small tweaks to activities you’re already doing.  For example, you could use a walking treadmill under your desk if you work from home.

4.  Set yourself a goal

 Setting goals can help you perform better as it improves focus and motivation and gives you a sense of purpose.  However, be careful with the type of goal you set.  Research shows that goals concentrating on performance rather than the process itself can be demotivating.14

 For example, a goal to “Do a 1-mile run in 12 minutes” is likely to be less effective than “Go for a run three times a week.”

5.  Move more at home

 Home is a fantastic place for rest, but this can mean it’s one of the places you move the least.  Moving more at home is important for your health because prolonged periods of inactivity can increase your risk of depression, dementia, weight gain, diabetes, and other health and mental health conditions. 

One of the easiest ways to reduce long periods of inactivity at home is by incorporating physical activity into everyday tasks, such as:

 Breaking up your evenings with an after-dinner walk

 purchasing a standing desk so that you can work while standing 

Doing daily stretches while sitting at your desk

Getting up and walking around once every hour 

For two more tips on how to get physically active, check out our guide.

6.  Get your friends and family involved.

 Studies show that working out with other people can help keep you motivated and hold you accountable so you’re less likely to skip a session.

However, when choosing who to buddy up with, try to pick someone who is at a similar fitness level to you.  It can be disheartening and demotivating to choose someone who is much more physically active.