Impact of exercise on Wellbeing

What impact does Exercise have on wellbeing?

Exercise has a great potential to enhance our well-being. WHO -World Health Organisation recommends that adults should aim to be active daily and complete 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity activity over a week – the equivalent of 30 minutes five times a week. A 30-minute yoga or a short burst of 15 minutes of brisk walking increases our mental alertness, positive energy and freshens up our mood. Regular physical activity can increase our self-esteem as we feel we have achieved and accomplished something important and reduces stress and anxiety. Exercise also helps in preventing the development of mental health problems and also helps in improving the conditions of people experiencing mental health problems.

Impact on mood

Exercise helps chronic depression by increasing serotonin (which helps your brain regulate mood, sleep and appetite). It reduces immune system chemicals that can make depression worse. It increases your level of endorphins, which are natural mood lifters. Exercise helps by getting your sleep patterns back to normal. We know getting enough sleep can protect the brain from damage. Exercise limits the effect of stress on your brain. Research has found that low-intensity aerobic exercise – for 30–35 minutes, 3–5 days a week, for 10–12 weeks – was best at increasing positive moods (e.g. enthusiasm, alertness).

Impact on brain function

Exercise plays an important role in developing the brain and supporting essential mental functions. It leads to improved motor skills (reflexes, hand-eye coordination), better thinking and problem-solving, stronger attention skills and improved learning. Not surprisingly, these all combine to benefit school performance. Even the simple act of playing outside with friends has been linked to children performing better on tests and assignments.

Impact on stress

We have all had this experience during the pandemic that when events occur that make us feel threatened or upsets us, our body’s defences tries to cut in and creates a stress response, which makes us feel a variety of uncomfortable physical symptoms, make us behave differently, and we may also experience emotions more intensely. The most common physical signs of stress include sleeping problems, sweating, loss of appetite and even skin breakouts sometimes. They can also reduce blood flow to our skin and can reduce our stomach activity, while cortisol, another stress hormone, releases fat and sugar into the system to boost our energy. Physical exercise can be very effective in relieving stress. Research on employed adults has found that highly active individuals tend to have lower stress rates compared to individuals who are less active.

Impact on brain ageing?

In the study, 900 senior citizens participated, 90 per cent engaged in light exercises, such as yoga or walking, or none at all. The remaining 10 per cent did medium-to-high intensity exercise. As reported by CBS News, USA

Older adults who reported either light or no exercise at all experienced a cognitive decline equal to 10 more years of ageing when compared to people who were moderate to intense exercisers. The study showed that for older people, getting regular exercise may be protective, helping them keep their cognitive abilities longer.’”Studies show that there is approximately a 20% to 30% lower risk of depression and dementia for adults participating in daily physical activity.

The connection between Exercise and cognitive performance in older Adults?

Observation: When exercising the effect between exercising adults and the ones who do not have the cognitive skills of the once exercising is far greater than those who are not doing minimum physical activity.

Impact on depression and anxiety

Exercise can be an alternative treatment for depression. It can be used as a standalone treatment or in combination with medication. Research shows that for people who use exercise as a treatment the relapse of depression rate is the lowest even lower than people who used both medication and exercise together. Exercise can reduce levels of anxiety in people with mild symptoms and may also be helpful for treating clinical anxiety. Even Children who experience heightened anxiety tend to focus on anxiety-inducing things, which in turn makes them more anxious, so creating a vicious cycle. But, through Exercise through sports, an anxious child can break the cycle by focusing on the demands of physical activity, developing new skills and achieving a sense of accomplishment. Exercise is available to all, has few costs attached, and is an empowering approach that can support self-management.

How effective is Exercise Vs medication for depression and mood-enhancing?

Research: BABYAK ET AL (2000)

OBJECTIVE:

The purpose of this study was to assess the status of 156 adult volunteers with major depressive disorder (MDD) 6 months after completion of a study in which they were randomly assigned to a 4-month course of aerobic exercise, medication, or a combination of exercise and medication.

Assessments were performed at baseline, after 4 months of treatment, and 6 months after treatment was concluded (ie, after 10 months).

RESULTS:

After 4 months patients in all three groups exhibited significant improvement. After 10 months, however, remitted subjects in the exercise group had significantly lower relapse rates than subjects in the medication group. The fastest recovery was with exercise and the relapse was the lowest ever with the combination of both exercise and medication.

Impact on relationships

If an adult or teen is feeling lonely and unable to connect socially, shared physical activities can give them a sense of belonging and companionship. A person with social anxiety might find it difficult to be in a group environment, but a focus, such as a sport, may relieve some of the social pressure. Over time, the act of sharing experiences with others, developing rapport and working towards common goals can help to focus and develop the confidence to speak up, share thoughts, ideas and feelings. It can also help foster friendships, romantic relationships and build a strong network of trustworthy relationships.

While you exercise your body and your mind is putting all the effort to do the task at hand and which makes you live in the NOW not thinking past and not worrying about the future it helps you to enjoy the moment and feel free from whatever you stress about in your life. I am a marathoner, triathlete the high of challenging yourself with small goals from working on your body to completing endurance events makes you keep going with a smile even in the toughest situations in life. Exercise and sports have worked wonders for my wellbeing and I recommend the same to all for a life filled with wellness and happiness.