Exercise and Mental Health - Bending Birches NP

Summary

Research has shown us that exercise can affect our mental health. Chemicals are released in our bodies during exercise and some chemicals can affect our mental health. Being told the benefits of exercise may not be enough to get us to exercise. Writing on a calendar can help us remember to exercise, especially when we plan to exercise with a buddy. Receiving written instructions from someone important to us may encourage us even more to exercise. Setting SMART goals helps with motivation. Exercising for mental health might be even more beneficial when we listen to music. Exercising for improved mental health is a process for us to enjoy.

Exercise Really Affects Mental Health

Have you ever taken a walk, despite feeling tired, and felt refreshed after the walk?

The paradox of feeling tired before the walk and refreshed after the walk is not a paradox at all.

In 1984, an article published in the British Medical Journal discussed the impact of exercise on the release of beta-endorphin and met-enkephalin and how a training programme diminished the met-enkephalin release to the point of some subjects in the study exhibiting no release of met-enkephalin by the end of the training programme.

This was just the beginning in the research on enkephalins and endorphins, exercise, and mental health.

Enkephalins and Endorphins: What They Are

Enkephalins, endorphins, and dynorphins are considered to be endogenous opioids. Endogenous opioids are chemicals that are made by our bodies and that act at opioid receptors in our bodies.

Enkephalins are found in many systems in our body: the nervous system; the cardiovascular (heart and blood vessels) system; respiratory system; gastrointestinal (stomach and intestines) system; immune system (system that fights infection and other outside threats); and endocrine (hormonal) system. Enkephalins have been implicated in memory processes, emotional regulation (via the limbic system), gonadal (reproductive hormone) regulation, respiratory control, feeding, and in stress response, among others. I think we can see how enkephalin release might affect mental health.

Endorphins are found in the central nervous system (spine and brain) and peripheral nervous system (nerves outside of the spine and brain). Endorphins have been linked to our perception of pain and to the release of dopamine in the reward system, that part of us that allows us to experience pleasure. Thus, endorphins can affect our mental health.

The following articles provide more biochemical and physiological information about endorphins and enkephalins:

Physiology, Enkephalin

Cullen and Cascella, 2023, National Library of Medicine, StatPearls

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557764/

Biochemistry, Endorphin

Chaudhry and Gossman, 2023, National Library of Medicine, StatPearls

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470306/

Endorphins and enkephalins are not the only compounds affected by exercise. Others include the endocannabinoids. Another time for that discussion!

Exercise: From Suggestion to Action

First, we should set SMART goals. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely. Set yourself up for success by using SMART goals.

Psychoeducation (providing information about psychiatric conditions and treatments) can be helpful. How many of us have listened to information, whether related to health or to another issue, and subsequently set the information aside? Perhaps, we ignored the information. Or left the information in the recesses of our brains until, oops, our next encounter with the person, place, or thing which originally introduced us to the information.

Writing down the information, like on a calendar, might prompt me to follow through. “Friday evening, half an hour walk with X”. I am more inclined to remember the exercise suggestion if I use a calendar. In this scenario, I have included a buddy for my exercise routine. Exercising with someone can really boost motivation for exercising.

Now, if someone hands me a paper with clearly written instructions and this person holds importance in my life, I may be even more disposed to follow the instructions.

I do not consider myself to be an important person in the life of one of my clients. Yet, I do consider my clients to be important to me, especially when a client keeps their appointment with me. My services must hold some value to the client. So, I have adopted an intervention which I think may help my clients to value exercise in their lives. I include exercise in my clinic visit summary.

I used to write a prescription, in the days of paper prescription pads. Now, I write the recommendation for regular exercise, based on the client’s ability, in the clinic visit summary, hoping the paper does not immediately land in the recycling bin!

See for yourself what the American College of Sports Medicine recommends in their Rx for Health Series https://www.exerciseismedicine.org/eim-in-action/health-care/resources/rx-for-health-series/

Motivation Through Our Senses

The arts and music may be another means to motivate yourself to engage in exercise for mental health.

Hip-Hop Public Health is an organization focused on sharing health related messages by offering tools for us to remember to address preventive care and to engage in healthy habits. They also conduct research. Please visit their website: https://www.hhph.org/

Consider starting your journey of exercise for mental health by working out with the team at Hip-Hop Public Health.

The H.Y.P.E. Cardio Powered by Hip-Hop Public Health and The Cooper Institute is beautifully narrated by Marc Santa Maria of Crunch Fitness:

and another favourite from Hip-Hop Public Health, again mixing music with activity to heighten our learning by engaging different parts of our brain (for music, for words, for activity!) is Move-to-Improve World Beats:

https://www.hhph.org/work/learning-studio/world-beats-nyc

Exercise to Feel Better

Mental health and exercise go hand in hand. Mind and body are connected, whether we realize it or not. Sometimes, our body needs a little reminder about the connection. That, too, can be part of healing, particularly in the context of a history of trauma.

Take 15 minutes and move, to your own rhythm and to the tune of your choice and in the place of your choice.

Is there anything better than the feeling of being a body in motion?

Remember, above all, life is a process, not an outcome.

Enjoy the process of exercising for improved mental health.