Boost Your Mental Health with Physical Activity

Mental Health Awareness Week runs from May 11-17. This year’s theme of ‘Take action’ encourages people to take small actions to support good mental health.

Physical exercise has been proven to have huge potential in improving our mental wellbeing, with studies showing that people who exercise regularly experience better mental health and emotional wellbeing, as well as lower rates of mental illness.

Here, leading e-learning company, High Speed Training shares insight on the relationship between physical activity and mental health and some tips for getting started.

Dr Richard Anderson, Learning Experience Director at High Speed Training, said: “Physical activity involves any movement of the body that uses the muscles, increases  your heart rate or breathing, and expends energy. Luckily, there are endless possibilities of ways in which to do this and therefore there’s an option that everyone will enjoy!

“Physical exertion and mental health are directly connected due to changes in chemical activity that occur in the brain during and after exercise. This includes the increase of ‘happy hormones’ such as serotonin and the release of endorphins, as well as a reduction in stress hormones such as cortisol. As a result of these chemical changes, physical activity is shown to have a hugely positive effect on our mental wellbeing.”

Research from Better Health – Every Mind Matters shows that around 4 in 10 people report having trouble sleeping, feeling less confident, and having less energy due to anxiety.

Despite physical activity being repeatedly shown to improve mental health in a myriad of ways, less than half of adults are aware that it’s proven to reduce symptoms of anxiety, alleviate stress and distract from negative thoughts. 

Physical activity releases ‘feel-good’ chemicals like mood-boosting endorphins, anxiety-reducing endocannabinoids, and memory-improving dopamine. Furthermore, achieving goals through exercise builds self-esteem and pride, while certain physical activities facilitate socialisation and connection, addressing two key indicators of positive mental health.

Exercise is also a powerful tool for stress management and improved sleep. It helps regulate stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline and provides an outlet for releasing pent-up negative emotions and physical tension associated with anxiety.

People who exercise regularly report better sleep quality, less daytime tiredness, and an increase in the amount of time spent in the deep, restorative stages of sleep, even improving symptoms of insomnia.

Dr Anderson said: “Whilst exercising has hugely positive effects on mental wellbeing, a lack of exercise can have the converse effect and contribute to a downturn in mental health.

Some of the negative impacts of a lack of exercise include higher risks of anxiety and depression and reduced ability to manage stress. The NHS recommends doing 150 minutes of physical activity per week in order to get the physical and mental health benefits that exercise provides.”

The Best Exercises for Mental Health

The best exercise for your mental health will be one that you enjoy. This is the key to making physical activity a healthy habit that you can maintain over time. 

Walking

Some of the advantages of walking is that it’s a free activity and one that is low impact and therefore can be enjoyed by most people. Additionally, walking is a good way to get outside into fresh air and experience nature, both of which have also been shown to positively influence mental wellbeing. 

Yoga

Whilst yoga is a form of physical exercise that gets the body moving, its core focus is on establishing a connection with your mind and breathing to establish a state of relaxation and focus and is great for easing stress and tension, lowering blood pressure, and boosting serotonin. 

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

If you’re looking for a more intense and challenging form of exercise that can be practised in short durations,  a HIIT workout may be the perfect option. This form of physical activity raises the heart rate considerably and therefore gets the blood pumping around the body, increasing blood flow to the brain and releasing endorphins. 

Running

Running is perhaps the most celebrated and best recognised form of exercise to combine physical fitness with mental wellbeing. Similarly to walking, it is free and often gets you outside. Famously, running can produce a phenomena known as ‘runner’s high’ which occurs when the body is flooded with feel-good chemicals during or shortly after a run. 

Boxing and Martial Arts

Boxing, or any other form of martial art activity, is not only a great form of physical exercise but also helps to let off steam and release pent up negative emotions such as stress. Additionally, martial arts is a great form of exercise to raise self esteem and confidence as it builds visible strength and provides regular trackable improvements. 

Dancing

Dance can be an extremely social form of exercise, as it’s often partaken in group classes and involves close collaboration and many forms of dance such as hip hop and zumba are free flowing and intense so raise your heart rate and produce endorphins.

For more information, please visit highspeedtraining.co.uk and view their range of mental health training courses.