When it comes to exercise, the physical benefits are well-documented, from lowering blood pressure and your risk of some diseases to improving your physical appearance. Increasingly, the spotlight is being shone on the mental health benefits of working out, such as boosting your mood, improving sleep and easing symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression.
Science backs this up. One study found that increasing your activity levels from doing nothing, to exercising at least three times a week, reduces the risk of depression by up to 30 per cent. Another study found that individuals who engaged in exercise had 43% lower self-reported 'poor mental health' days than those who did not.
'Outdoor exercise or eco-therapy can be particularly beneficial and research suggests it
can actually be as effective as antidepressants in treating mild to moderate depression,'
says Mind Information Manager, Rachel Boyd.
Two 2007 studies commissioned by MIND revealed that 94 per cent said outdoor activities
including running and walking had benefited their mental health, so for best results avoid the treadmill.
The mental health benefits of Pilates often get overlooked because of the traditional
focus on Pilates for back health and core strength.
'Joseph Pilates (Pilates' founder), believed so strongly in the connection between
physical and mental health, he originally called his system of exercise 'Controlology',
ie the control of the body with the mind,' says Karen Laing, a Pilates Instructor who has
battled anxiety.
When you lift weights, your muscles get stronger and bigger. When you do yoga, your
brain cells develop new connections, and changes occur in brain structure as well as
function, resulting in improved cognitive skills, such as learning and memory.
Studies using MRI scans and other brain imaging technology have shown that people who
regularly did yoga had a thicker cerebral cortex (the area of the brain responsible for
information processing) and hippocampus (the area of the brain involved in learning and
memory) compared with nonpractitioners. These areas of the brain typically shrink as you
age, but the older yoga practitioners showed less shrinkage than those who did no yoga.
This suggests that yoga may counteract age-related declines in memory and other cognitive
skills.
A recent study showed that being immersed in water boosts the blood flow to the brain.
This increases the supply of oxygen, glucose and nutrients which would suggest a positive
impact on brain health.
A scientific study carried out by the Griffith Institute for Educational Research found that
children who learn to swim earlier reach major cognitive developmental milestones –
including oral expression, literacy, numeracy and visual motor skills – earlier than their
peers and non-swimmers.
Cycling can grow your brain in the same way it can grow your muscles. Blood flow to the brain increases
just as it does with the muscles, bringing in more oxygen and nutrients that can improve its performance.
Riding increases the production of proteins used for creating new brain cells by two or three times
the norm! It also increases the activities that allow the different regions of our brain to communicate
more effectively.
Cycling has also been shown to counteract the natural decline of brain function and development as we age.
Most of us are familiar with the great feeling obtained from spending time out on the dance
floor. From weddings and holiday parties to aerobic classes or even dance lessons, moving our
body often does a lot to lift our mood. It turns out there is a scientific explanation behind
those mood-boosting moves, and there are ways we can use dance to improve our mental health.
There are many benefits of dance supported by research. Dance improves your heart health,
overall muscle strength, balance and coordination, and reduces depression.
Boxing is a positive method of relieving stress. When hitting the heavy bag, you’re engaged
and not in your head. You’re completely focused on the power behind your punches and the
technique used for every combo. It clears your mind and leaves you feeling much calmer than
you were before your workout.
Boxing will give you the confidence boost you didn’t know you needed. When you’re hitting
the heavy bag, you feel invincible! With every punch, empowerment and confidence washes over
you.