ICAM News

Exercise

Moving the Body and the Mind

 

Traditionally, exercise has been viewed as beneficial for primarily physical reasons such as building strong and healthy muscles, maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system, and building an overall healthy and fit body. However, in recent years, exercise has been greatly acknowledged for having possible benefits to one’s mind and mental health as well. While this is relevant for all people trying to live a well-balanced, healthy lifestyle, it is particularly pertinent for those people who suffer from mental disorders or mentally degenerative diseases such as dementia, with particular respect to Alzheimer’s disease.

For those who aren`t suffering from a clinical or diagnosed mental illness, exercise can lower tension, anger, sadness, stress and anxiety. It can also lead to an improved resistance to disease and improved physical and psychological confidence in oneself. For exercise to truly benefit one’s mind, it must be viewed as a positive experience rather than as a negative or punishing one. One reason for the feelings of mental well-being that are generated by exercise is the release of endorphins by the body when exercise occurs. Endorphins are the body’s natural painkillers and can lead to feelings of increased happiness and relaxation. As well, exercise leads to increased levels of energy and better sleep patterns, while the lack of these factors in one’s life can often lead to depression. (1, FindCounselling.com)

For those people suffering from mental illness such as depression, anxiety disorder, or bipolar disorder, exercise can work with other therapies and medications to alleviate some of the problems associated with such illnesses. While a direct link between exercise and its benefits to mental health are still unclear, studies have clearly shown that those who suffer from mental illness are more likely to succumb to inactivity and unhealthy weight gain through acts such as comfort-eating and lethargy (3, Harvard Health Pub). Therefore, since exercise can lead to feelings of happiness, relaxation, and reduced anxiety and stress, it is also useful for those with mental illness as a preventative measure against the inactivity and obesity caused by their condition. Also, it can greatly improve one’s motivation, discipline, self-confidence and social skills (2, BBC News). Exercise is best approached gradually and does not necessarily mean going to the gym; it can involve anything from walking, gardening or housework. Enjoying exercise is critical in reaping the benefits for one’s mind and body.

Studies have also shown that exercise may act as a preventative measure against the development of dementia. While continuous exercise over one’s life time is the most beneficial, research illustrates that exercise in later years can still act to slow cognitive degeneration. When exercising in your later years, be sure to consult your doctor if you have a serious medical condition such as heart disease. Make sure to work your way up gradually, increasing intensity levels slowly over time (4, Alzheimer’sAbout.com). Indeed, it has been shown that a variety of exercise is more beneficial to those suffering from early-onsets of dementia than a high intensity work out. Studies conducted including men and women age 65 years and older who did not have dementia showed that over the course of a 5 year follow-up those people who were involved in a greater variety of physical activity were less likely to develop dementia. This study included the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia and other forms of the disease (5, HopkinsNet).

In our image conscious society, the benefits and necessity of exercise have become increasingly prevalent. Personal health and wellness are moving to the forefront in the mind of the general public, and exercise is moving from fad to norm. However, it is important to recognize ones mental preservation and health as well as ones physical fitness. Although more research needs to be conducted to fully understand the advantages exercise can have on mental health, the benefits it has on the body may surely result in some gains in mental health. And in the end, the positive outcomes of moving the body may just positively move the mind as well!

Before beginning exercise or an exercise plan, consult your family physician to make sure your body is physically able, particularly if you are a senior citizen or have a history of cardiovascular problems.

 

Karly Millions, BA
Research Assistant

Dr. Jean Antoine Boodhoo, BSc (Hons), MBBS (UK), MRC Psych (UK), T Psych, Specialist in Psychiatry

 

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