Everyone knows that participating in physical fitness and sports activities is good for your physical health. But there is now considerable scientific evidence derived from hundreds of studies with thousands of subjects indicating a definite relationship between exercise and improved mental health.

Exercise and depression 

Here’s something that may surprise you: recent research has shown exercise to be as effective as more traditional therapies in the battle against clinical depression. The findings indicate that the antidepressant effect of exercise begins as early as the first session of exercise and that the positive effects are consistent across age, gender, and type of depression.

As you might expect, the more intense the exercise training program is—in terms of the intensity, duration, and frequency of sessions—the greater the antidepressant effect.Scientists have also found that exercise produces larger antidepressant effects when the exercise program lasts longer than nine weeks. 

Anxiety reduction following exercise

It is estimated that in the U.S. approximately 7% of the adult population has an anxiety disorder that necessitates some form of treatment. In addition, stress-related emotions, such as anxiety, are common among healthy individuals. Exercise programs, particularly aerobic exercise programs that last several weeks or longer, have now been shown to produce an anxiety reduction similar in magnitude to other commonly employed anxiety treatments. 

Caution!

While these findings are exciting news for many individuals who suffer from depression and anxiety disorders, it is critically important to remember that no one should make any change in the treatment of these conditions without the consent and close supervision of their health care providers. In other words, if you are currently taking medication or undergoing some other form of treatment for depression or anxiety disorder, you should only make changes to your treatment approach after you have thoroughly discussed and evaluated your situation with your health care provider.

Exercise and other aspects of mental health

In addition to alleviating depression and anxiety disorders, it also appears that exercise can be an effective “emotional wellness” boost for people who are not facing any particular mental health challenges. There is now evidence that exercise can—

 
• Increase positive mood 
• Improve self-esteem. 

Help produce restful sleep. (The research findings indicate that exercise has the biggest impact on sleep when it’s completed earlier in the day.)