Regular physical activity has many mental health benefits. The longer you maintain your exercise schedule and the more often you exercise, the more benefits you’ll see. Research shows that regular physical activity can help:
- Reduce day-to-day stress
- Reduce the risk of cognitive decline, measured as a slowing in attention, memory, and concentration
- Increase self-reported happiness and lower levels of depression and loneliness
- Reduce feelings of fatigue, improve sleep quality, and lower your risk of insomnia
- Boost self-esteem, itself a key sign of good mental health and overall well-being
There is no single reason why physical activity has mental health benefits. Instead, research suggests that benefits come from the combined physiological, psychological, social, and neurological effects of exercise.
- Physiological: Physical activity both boosts your body’s production of chemicals that help you to relax, feel more pleasure, and feel less pain, and reduces the amount of cortisol (i.e., “stress hormone”) that your body produces
- Psychological: Regular physical activity helps to increase feelings of self-esteem. Short bursts of exercise can also make you happier in the moment by interrupting negative trains of thought
- Social: People who exercise regularly tend to have bigger social networks and stronger relationships with friends and family. The regular face-to-face interaction that comes from group exercise (e.g., fitness classes, team sports) boosts your mood and can help to prevent depression
- Neurological: Physical activity helps your brain to use and produce more dopamine and serotonin – chemicals produced in your brain that make you feel happy. People who exercise regularly also have more blood flow to the brain, and better brain functioning
For strategies to start an exercise routine and to stay motivated, please check out the tips below.
HOW TO GET STARTED AND STAY MOTIVATED
Before you get started, ask yourself why you want to exercise, and what types of exercise might be best for you based on your physical (dis)abilities, personality, and goals.
Consult your family physician for help in developing a healthy and realistic exercise plan.
- Schedule exercise in your day when you tend to have more energy
- Find free or low-cost activities that you enjoy (e.g., walking, cycling, or pick-up sports)
- Don’t push yourself too hard and strive to find an environment where you feel comfortable and motivated
Once you’ve started your exercise program, there are many ways to help you stick with it.
Excerpts taken from the “Psychology Works” Fact Sheet: Physical Activity, Mental Health and Motivation by the Canadian Psychological Association.
For more information, please contact:
Lesley MacKinnon
Manager, Safety
Lesley.Mackinnon@BethanySeniors.com
Or
Site OHS Committee Chair or RepresentativeLifeWorks supports employee health and well-being.
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- LifeWorks Blog
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