{"id":33763,"date":"2021-12-20T11:12:42","date_gmt":"2021-12-20T18:12:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.betternutrition.com\/?p=33763"},"modified":"2021-12-20T11:12:42","modified_gmt":"2021-12-20T18:12:42","slug":"how-exercise-boosts-mental-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.betternutrition.com\/conditions-and-wellness\/mood-stress\/how-exercise-boosts-mental-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Exercise and Mental Health Go Together Like Chocolate and Peanut Butter"},"content":{"rendered":"

Molly Kujawski has a family history of mental illness. In college, she became depressed<\/a> and took medication to fight the blues. At the same time, in an effort to counteract her genetics, she started working out regularly and eating better \u2014 and everything changed, including her mental health. \u201cOnce I got consistent with exercising and eating well, I didn\u2019t need medication anymore,\u201d she says.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In a word, she was happier.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Now 40 years old, the certified personal trainer and owner of ExcelFit With Molly in Fort Mill<\/a>, South Carolina, is seeing the same transformation in her clients: Though vastly different in background and ages, they all struggled mentally and emotionally until they adopted a nutrition and exercise \u201cprescription.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been training people since 2005 and have seen a direct correlation between consistent exercise and a boost in happiness,\u201d Kujawski says.\u00a0\u201cI have clients who can attest to not needing medication or therapy now because of exercise. There\u2019s a huge link there. It\u2019s undeniable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Anecdotal evidence doesn\u2019t always parallel science, but in this case it does, and more than 20 years of research has identified a connection between exercise and happiness. For example, a 2019 review of more than 20 papers published in the Journal of Happiness Studies<\/a> <\/i>found \u201ca consistent positive relationship between physical activity and happiness \u2026 with as little as 10 [minutes of] physical activity per week.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But the question remains, How <\/i>and why <\/i>does exercise make us happier? As with many things to do with mood, we turn to the brain for answers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This is your brain \u2026 on exercise\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Quantifying happiness is a big challenge. Emotions and feelings are subjective, and depending on circumstance, your sentiment could change on a dime: One moment you\u2019re happy, the next you\u2019re angry or sad or unsure.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t have a good way to capture happiness that\u2019s consistent from study to study,\u201d says David Schary, Ph.D., associate professor of exercise science at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina, who specializes in the psychological aspects of sports and physical activity. \u201cBut we do know that exercise has a substantial effect on depression \u2014 so much so that it\u2019s [considered] to be just as effective as therapy or drugs \u2014 and can cause an increase in \u2018subjective well-being,\u2019 which is one metric used [in research] to measure happiness.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Boosting your happiness quotient is entirely possible thanks to the neuroscientific concept of brain plasticity \u2014 the brain\u2019s ability to change or rewire itself when exposed to new stimuli. And for someone who has been living a mostly sedentary life, regular exercise qualifies as a new stimulus, and an extremely powerful one at that.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I feel good (na-na-na-na-na-na-na)\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Wendy Suzuki, Ph.D., professor of neural science and psychology at NYU and author of Healthy Brain, Happy Life <\/i>(Dey Street Books, 2015), is renowned for her research on the brain-boosting effects of exercise, a \u201crevelation\u201d that landed her on national talk shows such as CBS This Morning <\/i>and Dr. Oz. <\/i>In 2017, Suzuki even did a TEDWomen Talk titled \u201cThe brain-changing benefits of exercise,\u201d where she posited this query to the audience:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat if I told you there was something you could do right now that would have an immediate, positive benefit [on] your brain, your mood and your focus? And what if I told you that same thing could actually last a long time and protect your brain from \u2026 depression, Alzheimer\u2019s or dementia \u2014 would you do it? Yes! I am talking about \u2026 physical activity. Simply moving your body has immediate, protective benefits for your brain that can last the rest of your life.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

A bevy of research backs Suzuki\u2019s claims, including a 2019 study published in the Balkan Medical Journal <\/i>wherein subjects experienced reduced anxiety with an increase in their levels of oxytocin, a hormone\/neurotransmitter brought about by physical activity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cResearch shows that sustained moderate- and high-intensity aerobic exercise activates the opioid and cannabinoid receptors \u2026 in the brain,\u201d says Jason Karp, Ph.D., running coach and author of Work Out: The Revolutionary Method of Creating a Sound Body to Create a Sound Mind <\/i>(2022, preorder on Amazon). \u201cOpioids and cannabinoids are psychologically rewarding and can reduce anxiety and [promote] a general feeling of well-being.\u201d This \u201crunner\u2019s high\u201d makes you feel good about yourself and gives you confidence, according to Karp.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Though most studies to date have focused on aerobic exercise, resistance training has a similar effect. \u201cI\u2019ve seen both types of exercise work,\u201d Schary says. \u201cThe biggest thing is being active and doing something to release those hormones. Exercise is that \u2018magic pill,\u2019 the one everyone is looking for to make them better in all aspects of life.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Happiness how-tos<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Be proactive: Use these strategies to boost your bliss.<\/p>\n

\u201cSix days a week might sound overwhelming, but [the workouts] don\u2019t have to be very long.\u201d In fact, according to the American Psychological Association, just five minutes of physical activity per day is enough to boost your mood. And research published in JAMA Psychiatry <\/i>found that running for 15 minutes (or walking for an hour) led to a reduced risk of depression.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Chore = Bore\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Working out isn\u2019t always fun, and even the best of us have days when we dread it. But if cultivating happiness is part of your overall objective, try your hardest to make exercise enjoyable. \u201cIf you hate running but love lifting weights, by all means be a weightlifter,\u201d Schary says. Forcing yourself to do\u00a0<\/span>something you hate will counteract the positive effects of the exercise itself from a mental health standpoint.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Can\u2019t find something you love? Try something other than a \u201ctraditional\u201d gym workout, suggests Schary, such as hiking, biking, gardening, golf or home improvement.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Look Within<\/h2>\n

In order to succeed, make sure you\u2019re doing an activity because it\u2019s what you want (internal) and not what someone else wants for you (external). \u201cThere\u2019s nothing inherently wrong with wanting to beat your time in a 5K or lose some body fat, but if you\u2019re doing an activity or pursuing a goal because your spouse wants you to, for example, that [impetus comes from a source outside yourself] and may not provide you happiness because it\u2019s not internalized,\u201d Schary says.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To divine if your motivation is internal or external, ask yourself these questions: (1) How much do I enjoy the activity? (2) How important is this activity to me?<\/p>\n

\u201cThe more you enjoy it and the more important it is\u00a0to you (and not someone else like a spouse, friend or society at large), the more internal the motivation,\u201d Schary says.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Get Social<\/h2>\n

Being part of a like-minded community can make exercise more pleasurable and thus easier to stick with long term. Kujawski, who trains clients both one-on-one and in small group classes, sees a significant difference in the enjoyment level of her group-training clients. \u201cThere\u2019s a connection and an accountability between them,\u201d Kujawski says. \u201cWe laugh and joke, the workouts are vibrant and energetic<\/a>, and everyone sticks around and chats afterward. We even do social events once or twice a month.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Collect those gym friends and get social: Organize a meet-up at a coffee shop or arrange a playdate for your kids. The stronger your fitness community, the more consistent \u2014 and happier \u2014 you stand to be.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Practice Mindfulness\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s hard to ignore the science behind mindfulness and improved happiness, but some people are turned off by [things like] meditation,\u201d Schary says. \u201cHowever, there\u2019s a difference between sitting and meditating and simply being mindful as you go about your day; both are effective.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For those in the anti-meditation camp, Schary recommends taking just one minute a day to sit quietly and breathe, no matter where you are or what you\u2019re doing. \u201cOnce you get comfortable with a minute, bump it up to two minutes, then five or 10,\u201d says Schary. Gradually lengthening the duration works much in the same way as incrementally increasing your running pace or the weight you lift in the gym. \u201cYou\u2019re progressing your ability to be mindful,\u201d Schary says. \u201cThis reduces stress and helps bring you satisfaction and, of course, happiness.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We take a look at the strong connection between mental health and movement.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":33764,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"uuid":"42dc2c609e2f5ca84ba5d3d2cbe5f900"},"categories":[128],"tags":[817,830,2006],"byline":[2109],"ad_cat":[],"legacy-category":[96],"acf":{"pom_layout":false,"post_video":false,"iframe_hero":false,"add_square_crop":false,"longform":false,"sponsored":false,"membership_content":false,"post_incontent_cta_disable":false,"exclude_post":false,"table_of_contents":{"header":"","content_sections":false},"review_toggle":false,"registered_content":false},"yoast_head":"\nExercise and Mental Health Go Together Like Chocolate and Peanut Butter<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"We take a look at the strong connection between mental health and movement, and how exercise can make you happier.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, 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