Mental Health and Exercise has long been a topic of discussion and none more so since the first Covid-19 lockdown in March 2020. When the Covid-19 lockdown was put into place in March 2020, no gyms were allowed to open; all open air gyms were taped up and padlocked; even children’s play parks were padlocked and sales of running and gym equipment went into overdrive, so much so, that there were shortages, massive price hikes and lengthy delays for even the most basic equipment. The likes of Peloton made a killing.
Thankfully we were allowed to exercise outside, alone, for 1 hour a day, which meant that instead of seeing an abundance of cars on the road you were more likely to be trampled over by joggers and cyclists.
The one hour a day exercise was a guideline that the government put in place, having taken advice from health, fitness and mental health experts, that being cooped up 24/7 would be detrimental to the mental health of the public and that allowing the public to exercise outside for 1 hour a day, albeit alone, would alleviate some of the stress caused by the Covid-19 lockdown.
Exercise or physical activity, when used to promote physical and mental health and done voluntarily as opposed to something that we have to do, should do or ought to do, has positive benefits on our wellbeing. There are many forms of exercise, meaning that it’s not just the case of going to the gym or running.
Exercise or physical activity enhances our wellbeing in that it increases our mental alertness, energy and creates a positive mood. Regular exercise boosts self-esteem, reduces stress and anxiety. People that suffer with depression, especially those with diagnosed conditions that bring about depression, such as KS, exercise has been shown to have a positive impact on our mood. Research has shown that a physically active person is more awake and calmer than an inactive person.
Lack of physical activity unbalances the body with stress being the number one issue caused by long periods of inactivity. When we are stressed, things that cause us more stress put the body into a hypervigilant mode or “fight or flight” mode. Physical activity makes it easier for our body’s to handle stress.
Exercise throughout life, even into old age has proven results in lowering the risk of dementia and cognitive decline. As people live longer, there is a growing population of over 65’s and with that comes a greater number of people who are living with dementia and cognitive decline. Research has shown that people who have already developed dementia and cognitive decline can slow their decline with physical activity and there is a 30% lower risk of depression and dementia in people who engage in physical activity.
Anxiety and depression can be reduced with physical activity and people suffering with depression may find that actually participating in physical activity may be the only treatment they require.
To reap the benefits of physical activity, adults should aim to be active for at least 2.5 hours a week, which is the equivalent to 30 minutes a day, five times a week. The best thing to do is to decide what type of exercise you would prefer to do, to make time to exercise (which is one of the biggest excuses not to exercise), make sure it’s right for you and to start slowly. It’s good to set goals and targets; and to decide where you want to exercise – whether it’s at home, at work, outside or a gym environment.
