The Benefits of Exercise on Mental Health

Regular physical activity has been shown to have a positive impact on mental health, reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety, and improving overall mood (Craft and Landers, 1998). 

The Australian Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity per week for adults (Department of Health, 2014). A meta-analysis conducted by Schuch et al. (2016) found that exercise significantly reduced symptoms of depression across 35 randomized controlled trials, with the greatest benefits seen in studies that used aerobic exercise interventions. Similarly, a meta-analysis by Rebar et al. (2015) found that physical activity interventions were associated with reduced symptoms of anxiety, with the greatest benefits seen in studies that used moderate to vigorous intensity exercise interventions. 

In addition to reducing symptoms of mental illness, exercise has also been shown to improve overall mood and well-being. A study by Netz et al. (2011) found that a 12-week exercise program significantly improved mood and self-esteem in older adults. Another study by Stubbs et al. (2017) found that even a single session of moderate-intensity exercise was associated with improvements in mood and self-esteem in young adults. 

So, why is it that exercise is so beneficial for the treatment of depression, and indeed for our overall mental wellbeing? Research shows that exercise actually changes the brain. It works as its own antidepressant. As Stephen Ilardi points out in his book, The Depression Cure, exercise “increases the activity of important brain chemicals like serotonin and dopamine. It also stimulates the brain’s release of a key growth hormone (BDNF), which in turn helps reverse the toxic, brain-damaging effects of depression” (Ilardi, 2009). Ilardi goes on to say that exercise even sharpens memory and concentration, and allows us to think more clearly. Simply put, he adds, exercise is medicine.

What about the problem of motivation though? For someone struggling with mental ill-health, exercise is often the last activity you would want to engage in. A helpful slogan to take heed of for the person struggling with depression is that depression hates action. Sometimes, everything in our mind is screaming that we just don’t want to do anything active. It really does feel too hard to sometimes do the most basic of activities. This is where realising a purpose for feeling better is also helpful. 

Our sedentary lifestyles don’t lend themselves to getting out and exercising. The Australian Bureau of Statistics says that just over half of Australian adults (56.4%) aged 18-64 complete 30 minutes of activity on five or more days per week. One in four (26.6%) do strength or toning exercises on two or more days in the week. The 30 minutes of activity might be as simple as going for a walk. Even that can be beneficial for our mental health. If nothing else, it gets us outside and, as the weather starts to warm up at this time of the year, it gets some Vitamin D onto our skin as well.

The warmer weather can motivate us to get outside and exercise more, but the fact is that our lifestyles are still largely sedentary. When you have a mental illness, having a larger purpose for getting well can be beneficial. Many of us may be able to relate to wanting to start a gym routine, only for it to fall apart like a New Year’s resolution after a week or two. Humans evolved though to be hunter-gatherers. We had to get outside and find food in order to survive. This is why our human ancestors never had to go to the gym or make time to motivate themselves to exercise. It was part of their lifestyle and it was a necessity. It was literally life or death for them. As Ilardi points out, our ancestors followed a simple rule, which was to only spend your energy on activities that have a clear purpose (2009).

When we exercise out of necessity or for a greater purpose, it becomes easier to do. Our motivation for it naturally increases. And doing it with others increases our motivation even more. This is why team sports are so good for us. They provide a social outlet as well as the obvious physical benefits. We are social creatures who are hardwired for connection, so exercising in some form with others can provide the extra motivation and accountability that can benefit us.

The type of exercise is also relevant if it is going to be of benefit. If it increases our heart rate, even for several minutes at a time, it is helpful. 

If we find an exercise routine that has purpose, is social and is enjoyable, the motivation to do it will come easier. When I was in the United States recently, I visited some of the Walt Disney World theme parks in Florida. If you’ve been there, you will know these parks are huge. By the end of each day of walking around those parks, I had walked between 14,000-20,000 steps. Given that most GPs say that we need to do half an hour of walking per day (or ideally 10,000 steps), walking around Walt Disney World those few days did me enormous good. And it was social (I was there with family), so it had the added benefit of being a shared experience that we could talk about later.

Overall, the evidence suggests that regular physical activity can have significant benefits for mental health, reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety, and improving overall mood and well-being. It is recommended that adults aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity per week to achieve these benefits. 

Sometimes, motivation comes from simply starting. Once we start a habit, it generally takes a few weeks to a couple of months for it to stick if we do it regularly. We need to form the neural pathways in our brains that will make it easier for us to engage in exercise the more we do it. Then, when we see the benefits of it, especially when it has a greater purpose and is ideally done with others, it will be even easier to maintain it.

If you or someone you know is experiencing mental ill health know that help is available. ACTS3 is a psychosocial rehabilitation organisation that provides a range of services to help individuals overcome mental health challenges and improve their overall well-being. Our team of trained professionals offers evidence-based treatments as well as social support and community-based programs. To learn more about our services and how we can help, email or call us at info@acts3.org.au or1300 290 379.