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.