The weather has been really bleak for much of the season, all across the country.  I know for me, and many other people, it makes the idea of exercise really unappealing.  Going for a walk or even getting to the gym is just hard to do when it’s cold, snowy, or rainy.  Even though I know I won’t melt or get frostbite, it just feels unpleasant and makes the alternative of staying put under a cozy blanket much more appealing.  So when I came across this large new study on the benefits of exercise for mental health, I thought it best to share it as a good source of motivation.  What I like best is that even a small amount of movement was beneficial and equaled or even bettered the effectiveness of standard treatments for common mental health issues.

Scientists in the Department of Health Sciences at the University of Potsdam, Germany, completed a meta analysis review of over 41 studies including 2264 participants.  What was unique about this study was the inclusion of only studies that assigned subjects who scored positively on a depression screening measure to either an exercise or control group of non exercise, which had been a large criticism of past studies on exercise and depression.  What was surprising is not that exercise was beneficial for mental health, but how powerful the effect was.  “We found large, significant results,” said the lead author of the study, Andreas Heissel.  The findings show you don’t have to run marathons or train strenuously to benefit.  “Something is better than nothing.”  The results of the study were so strong, the authors noted the effect of exercise was not only equal to, but sometimes better than, the effects of medication or psychotherapy.  Thus exercise could be included as a front line treatment option for depression without the major obstacles of side effects or access to treatment.

Other studies on the benefits of exercise show positive impacts on other areas of mental health, including reducing symptoms of  ADHD, anxiety, and insomnia.  It also relieves stress, improves memory and people who exercise at least a few times a week report benefits in an overall sense of well being.   There are several reasons why exercise is a powerful tool.  Most significantly it produces changes in brain chemistry, including neural growth, reduced inflammation, and new brain activity patterns that promote a sense of calm.  It also releases endorphins, the powerful feel good chemicals that give you energy and positive feelings.  Physical activity immediately increases the brain’s dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin levels, all related to increasing focus and attention.  Plus, exercise can serve as a distraction, allowing you time away from your thoughts and what may be stressing you.  

More recent work in the area of trauma recovery has highlighted the benefits of movement.  Evidence suggests that by focusing on your body and how it feels as you exercise, you can actually help your nervous system become “unstuck” and begin to move out of the immobilization stress response that characterizes PTSD.  Exercise that involves cross body movement and that engages both arms and leg movements (such as walking, swimming, running or dancing) has especially beneficial effects.   When we engage in any cross lateral movement, we encourage one hemisphere of the brain to communicate with the other.  This boosts neural activity across the corpus callosum, increasing neuroplasticity and forming neural pathways.  This corresponds directly to emotional resilience, problem solving, and emotional regulation.

So with all this benefit, why is it hard to get us to move?  Often the very symptoms we are seeking to relieve are the barriers to engagement.  When we are depressed, anxious, or stressed, we lack motivation and the ability to see the potential positives.  Our symptoms paralyze us, keeping us stuck in a loop or doubting our own ability to change.  So often, the first step in engaging people in exercise is helping them find an activity that is more likely to be engaged in and to bring some enjoyment.  This may mean listening to music or a podcast during a walk, joining up with another person or pet, or trying something completely new, like a class at a gym or video on line.  

I’m thinking it also would help to understand the scientific benefit and how the mechanisms of exercise work.  Rather than thinking of exercise as another thing you should do, like cleaning your room or doing the dishes, we can approach exercise as treatment.  Surely these studies suggest that this is an appropriate and viable attitude and conclusion.  If we “dose” ourselves with a walk or bike ride, we may be more willing to stick with it and incorporate it into our day. And in time, we may even look forward to it.  Understanding the science behind taking a pill or going to the doctor motivates us to do it.  The same should be true for exercise.  Even if it’s a dreary day outside, you still need to take your medicine!