Can regular exercise improve mental health? Experts reveal 5 major benefits: alleviate depression and develop self-confidence
Many people choose to shape their bodies through exercise, but exercise not only improves appearance, it also has a positive effect on mental health. Academic circles have previously confirmed that long-term exercise habits will improve symptoms of depression patients. Exercise can not only improve mental illness, but American sports psychologist Josephine Perry also pointed out that a fixed exercise pattern will contribute to the development of mental health and bring the following five benefits:
1. Reduce symptoms of depression.
Perry’s research in the “American Journal of Psychiatry” shows that if an individual exercises at least 1 hour a week, the chance of suffering from depression can be reduced by 12%; and for patients who are already suffering from depression, exercise is also seen as reducing the risk of depression. Effective method for severe depressive symptoms. Research from Duke University in the United States points out that exercise can bring about the effects of antidepressant drugs and can reduce patients’ depressive symptoms by up to 70%.
2. Helps relieve anxiety.
Anxiety and depression often go hand in hand, and exercise has been found to be beneficial in relieving anxiety. Perry pointed out that previous research found that people who exercise regularly have less anxiety than those who never exercise.
Perry believes this is because exercise affects emotional responses led by the brain’s “amygdala.” When the amygdala detects an external threat, it triggers the secretion of adrenaline and cortisol, helping the body to respond with fight, flight, etc. Exercise can relax some muscles and regulate body metabolism, which can reduce the emotional response dominated by the amygdala, thereby reducing the physiological and psychological impact of anxiety.
3. Improve children’s behavior.
Some research suggests that exercise habits may change children’s behavior patterns - making them more cooperative, less aggressive, and more responsible for their actions. Perry said such an influence could have a subtle impact on children’s behavioral patterns as adults.
4. Reduce feelings of loneliness.
Perry pointed out that humans need a certain sense of belonging and connection to feel motivated and enthusiastic about life. Some studies have found that when individuals become more active in interacting with others through exercise, the quality of life and life satisfaction will be significantly improved, and may help extend life expectancy.
5. Increase inner confidence.
Perry said regular exercisers have higher self-confidence because exercise makes them feel closer to their “ideal image.”
“Strong self-confidence will improve mental health and produce a more positive self-perception.” Perry said that even girls as young as 5 years old already know how to talk about their body shape and express dissatisfaction with their body shape. A previous study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health pointed out that children aged 9 to 11 who exercise frequently have higher levels of confidence than their peers two years later. Therefore, whether you are an adult or not, exercise can help build your self-confidence.
Perry said that the amount of exercise required to obtain mental health benefits requires an average of about 1.5 hours of moderate-intensity exercise per day. After about 6 weeks of developing an exercise habit, symptoms of depression or anxiety may begin to lessen. The journal “Health Psychology” has shown that long-term exercise will bring more benefits to mental health. Therefore, exercise time should not be limited to 6 weeks, but should be sustained to have the greatest impact on mental health.
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