Mental health is an essential component of any lifestyle and should be prioritized. Mental health affects all branches of life including work, relationships, fitness, etc. and is the key to staying positive. With one in five Americans experiencing a mental health issue in 2014, much more must be done in not only treating but also preventing these pervasive illnesses.
The adverse effects of poor mental health as well as its frequency were exacerbated by COVID-19. The pandemic swept across the world in an unprecedented way, inciting widespread panic and fear. Exercise, however, can be a great tool to manage these negative consequences. Zoning in on fitness and exercise has been conclusively proven to elevate mental health levels. We list here eight significant ways in which exercise boosts and maintains positive mental health levels.
Exercise Boosts Brain Function
Exercise improves learning speeds:
- As aerobic exercise aids in the growth of nerve cells, as it optimizes the brain for peak function. This means that you physically become better suited for learning and retaining information. A 2012 Kansas study demonstrated a positive correlation between physical fitness and academic performance in students grades 4-9. Staying active pays dividends both physically and mentally.
Exercise improves memory capacities:
- Regular exercise along with sufficient sleep directly reduces brain inflammation and releases growth factors that affect the health and number of brain cells. Some brain regions, including the hippocampus, even enlarge in response to continued aerobic activity. The hippocampus is especially important in verbal memory, and exercise will give your hippocampus a boost and allow you to better retain information.
Exercise improves cognitive ability:
- Indirectly, exercise can elevate cognitive function by improving your mood and sleep, both of which have effects on cognition that have been conclusively demonstrated. Exercise also directly improves brain volume, leading to better thinking skills of all ages. This means that people of all ages and all professions can benefit mentally and physically from regular aerobic activity.
Exercise Can Help Treats Mental Health Disorders
Exercise reduces stress:
- Exercise is a fantastic way to alleviate stress and boost mental health. Whether from work, school, or family, physical activity can not only prevent stress from coming on, but it also reverses the negative consequences associated with stress. Any sort of aerobic activity will release endorphins, flooding your brain with these pleasurable neurotransmitters.
Exercise reduces anxiety:
- An overwhelming 63% of college freshmen reported high levels of anxiety during their first year. Anxiety affects more than just mental health, as it correlates directly with physical disorders such as diabetes and heart disease. Fortunately, exercise is a great way to divert attention, decrease muscle tension, and alter brain chemistry. All of these factors contribute to lowering anxiety levels and creating a healthier lifestyle.
Exercise reduces depression levels:
- Depression causes physical stress as much as it does mental, making it difficult to inspire the motivation for physical activity. However, research indicates that exercise, even low intensity exercise, allows nerve cells to grow and form new connections. This improves brain function and chemistry, making exercise a powerful treatment for depression with no concerning side-effects.
Exercise reduces ADHD symptoms:
- Attention disorders are one of the most common neural disorders in the world but are often overlooked when discussing mental health. The impact of physical activity on ADHD has long been discussed, and a recent study demonstrated its effectiveness in children. Regular exercise along with traditional ADHD treatment can improve mental development and increase concentration.
Exercise reduces PTSD symptoms:
- PTSD is a serious disorder that may easily lead to depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses as well as their accompanying physical symptoms. Many studies examining the relationship between aerobic exercise and PTSD have suggested that exercise improves PTSD symptoms. Exercise can physically rewire the brain, improve cognition, and reduce the effects of PTSD triggers. While continued research and clinical trials need to be done, there is a growing consensus that exercise is a healthy way to treat PTSD.
