The Mental Health Benefits of Exercise for Anxiety and Stress
With Mental Health UK sharing that 1 in 4 people experience mental health issues every year, it’s helpful to understand how we can take care of psychological wellbeing, for ourselves and those around us.
54% of us worry about mental health (more than cancer and obesity), so it’s clear that we all want to know how to protect and strengthen our minds. But how exactly can we do that?
There are so many ways you can take care of your mental health. Mental Health UK's recent Burnout Report found that 56% of adults said exercising regularly helped them to manage stress in their lives. Plus, regular movement can reduce your risk of depression by 30%.
Exercise is easily accessible for many and it’s incredibly beneficial for the mind.
This article is your go-to guide to get you up to speed on how movement is beneficial to your mental health.
The Relationship Between Exercise, Mental Health, and Wellbeing
The relationship between mental health and exercise is intrinsically linked.
When you’re heading to the gym, sweating it out in a class, or going for a run, you might be putting all the focus on your physical health, but the mental benefits from movement are immense.
Exercise goes beyond just improving your strength or changing your body composition, it directly impacts your mental health.
Regular physical activity can reduce your number of poor mental health days by 40%.
The Benefits of Exercise for Your Mental Health: Physical, Emotional, and Social
From improved sleep to better cognitive function, there are so many benefits to moving for your mind.
Let’s take a look at the multi-dimensional benefits of movement: how it helps physically through your hormones, emotionally through improved self-esteem, and even socially through connection at gyms and classes.
Exercise and Hormones
Moving your body triggers the release of endorphins – otherwise known as the happy hormones – that improve your mood and promote a positive feeling. They are produced by the central nervous system and work with receptors in your brain to reduce your feeling of pain whilst increasing pleasure at the same time.
This feel-good boost can be helpful to break the cycle when you’re feeling stressed and anxious, giving you an instant boost of positivity.
Exercise and Self-Esteem
Regular physical activity can increase your self-esteem, whilst lowering stress and anxiety.
Whilst you might assume that exercise improves self-esteem due to physical changes in your body (and whilst this may be true for some), it’s the act of showing up for yourself on a regular basis that’s powerful.
Every time you show up to exercise when you said you would, you create a sense of accomplishment and reinforce the belief that you are prioritising your own health and wellbeing. This is a powerful feeling, that overtime can lead to the habit of exercise being a form of self-care and lead to a more positive relationship with yourself.
Social Benefits of Exercise
Mental Health UK found that 1 in 5 of us feel lonely at work, because flexible working (while it has its benefits) has led to so many of us having less face-to-face interaction with others.
In a world where we lead more solitary lives and deal with more stress alone, exercise can give us a reason to connect with other people.
Whether it’s making friends through group classes or just working out surrounded by people after a day spent alone, heading to the gym can create a sense of community and reduce feelings of isolation. This has lasting positive effects on your mental health.
How Does Exercise Help With Anxiety?
Movement has a monumental impact on anxiety- the British Journal of Sports Medicine published a study confirming physical activity can improve symptoms of anxiety and distress.
People dealing with anxiety often have higher levels of cortisol, which can cause distressing symptoms, both mental and physical. Physical activity can lower cortisol, which is the body's stress hormone. This is what creates the “fight or flight” response and can lead to heightened anxiety levels.
Therefore, movement can reduce anxiety by making the “fight or flight” response less reactive.
Additionally, exercise also releases serotonin, which improves mood, supports emotional stability and reduces feelings of anxiety.
People with anxiety often experience a cycle of anxious thoughts and movement can help break this cycle by improving your feelings of self-control, self-confidence, and self-worth both long term and short term.
The Role of Exercise in Stress Management
Exercise is a crucial part of stress management. Short term, it acts as a natural release for built-up tension, allowing you to release those happy hormones and improve your mood.
The beauty of adding exercise into your stress management routine, is that it’s a positive outlet for releasing stress, helping you feel like you always have something constructive to turn to when you need to lower your stress levels.
Long term, regular physical activity improves your sleep quality and cognitive function, meaning that you're better able to cope with stress and feel more emotionally stable and resilient.
Building an Exercise Routine for Mental Health: 5 Tips
Looking to boost your mental health by creating an exercise routine? We’ve got you covered with these five tips...
Get Clear On Your Goals
Determining on your goals is the best place to start. These don’t have to be “typical” fitness goals – they can be goals focused more on your wellbeing, rather than physical achievements.
For example, setting a goal to head to the gym a couple of times a week to make sure you’re using exercise as a stress-reliever after work is great.
Whatever your goals, having specific aims to work towards can help you stay focused and motivated.
Focus on Motivation
Finding the motivation to move can be hard, especially if you’re in a bit of a slump, but you can build your motivation by starting small.
Why not start by setting yourself small activities that feel less overwhelming, such as gentle stretching, or a walk to the gym (without going inside just yet).
Other people, or even online platforms can help to motivate you too – you don’t have to do everything alone.
Mental Health UK has some useful tips on how you can easily embed exercise into your daily routine: take a look here.
These simple changes can help you to start small and work up to adding more exercise into your routine, once you have overcome barriers and have increased motivation.
Find What You Enjoy
The beauty of movement is that there’s so many different things you can try.
You don’t just have to stick to one type of exercise – why not try cycling, yoga, HIIT, weightlifting, or running?
Have fun trying out a bunch of exercises and see what works for you.
You can always mix up your routine when you feel comfortable doing so, but finding certain exercises that bring you joy makes sure you have something to look forward to in your workout routine.
Make It A Routine
Creating a routine and sticking to it can help you stay accountable, and it can help to reduce anxiety and stress levels by knowing what you’re doing and when.
Mental Health UK suggests creating a routine that works with the achievable goals you have set , and to always focus on being kind to yourself.
Whether you choose to physically write your routine in a journal or use your phone, planning out your workout routine can make it easier for you to commit to them.
Scheduling gym sessions like appointments that you can’t miss is a good way to prioritise showing up.
Just remember that you don’t need to overcommit – Mental Health UK suggests recognising that some days will be harder than others.
Know that it is OK to reschedule activities based on how you’re feeling.
Track Your Progress
Keeping track of your progress can be super useful in not only celebrating your achievements, but as a tool to look back on when you don’t feel motivated to head to the gym.
Again, whether on a journal or using an app, reflect on each one of your workouts and how they made you feel, both physically and mentally.
Keep track of your goals and make sure you remember that progress doesn’t have to be physical – you can make and track your mental progress.
For example, if your goal is to feel less anxiety, note how your anxiety has felt before and after each gym session.
Each of your entries acts as a celebration that you stuck to your plan, and you’re committed to improving your mental health through physical activity.
Together, Let’s Move for Mental Health
The fact that you are here, reading this article, means that you are committed to improving your mental health and wellbeing, which should be celebrated!
These tips should help to make you feel more confident in achieving your mental health-focused goals and stepping foot into the gym, with the focus on your mind.
Want to get involved? Mental Health UK have a Move For Mental Health event for World Mental Health Day 2024 that you can discover here.
For Help & Support
It is OK not to be OK. If you are struggling with your mental health, please speak to someone you can trust like a friend or family member. Or seek professional help from a doctor or mental health professional.
There are a number of UK mental health charities, such as Mental Health UK and Mind UK where you can get more information and support.
If you need immediate support, Samaritans are available 24/7 to talk with you.