Staying active promotes better mental health

While the groundhog’s prediction this year of six more weeks of winter was right on target for many parts of the country, now that it’s firmly into spring, it’s a great time to start thinking about being more active.

When most people think of exercise, it’s for the physical benefits it can provide, and there are many. Regular physical exercise can help trim waistlines, increase aerobic capacity, build muscle size, improve sex life and even add years to a life.

But if that’s not enough to get people up and motivated to exercise more, then they should also consider the mental health benefits of being active. People who exercise on a regular basis report feeling more energetic during the day, sleeping better at night, having sharper memories and feeling more relaxed and positive about themselves and their lives.

Exercise has also been shown to help with some specific mental health issues. Studies have found that an exercise program can often be a way to treat mild to moderate depression. Researchers find that in many cases it is as effective as antidepressant medication but without the side-effects that medications can bring.

Other studies have shown that staying physically active is an easy and effective way to reduce anxiety and stress. When a mind is paying attention to exercising, it’s able to interrupt the flow of worries that too many people have running through their brains throughout the day. At the same time, it’s been shown that when people are active, their body is releasing endorphins in the brain, those natural hormones that help them feel better.

Even if someone doesn’t have the time, inclination or ability to turn into a gym rat or a long-distance runner, it doesn’t mean they should give up on the idea of being more physically active. While most studies recommend about 30 minutes of exercise a day for the best benefits, research also shows that even small amounts of physical activity are better than none.

Taking a 5 or 10 minute walk is a great way to start, and with regular activity they’ll feel better both physically and mentally.

Yes, it’s easy to make excuses not to get more active, but get started even in small ways, and the benefits will far outweigh those excuses.

Counseling Corner is provided by the American Counseling Association. Send comments and questions to [email protected] or visit the ACA website at http://www.counseling.org.