Where once we considered the benefits of exercise to be purely physical, we now know that regular exercise or physical activity is incredibly vital in supporting good mental health.
Research has shown that 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity 5 – 6 days per week can help to relieve stress and anxiety. Studies also suggest that regular exercise can help to prevent the onset of mental illness.
A Note for the Entrepreneur
If you are a busy entrepreneur, it is even more critical to prioritise exercise as a non-negotiable part of your day.
For the modern-day entrepreneur, running a business is often not the only thing you oversee. It is likely that a busy family awaits you at the end of the day and fills your weekends with extracurricular activities. While raising a family is one of life’s many great pleasures, it can add a lot of pressure to your daily life and keep you from taking time to rest and restore. Unless you count collapsing in a heap at the end of the day as restorative!
Anxiety, depression, burnout, adrenal fatigue and other stress-related illnesses are very real threats for any business owner. Especially those who do not take the time to prioritise their health. Just as you make a point of clearing your inbox daily, schedule time in your day to do something that gets your heart pumping.
Let’s look at the facts, the benefits, the science and the action!
What is Mental Health
Mental health encompasses our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. The World Health Organisation defines it as “a state of well-being in which the individual realises his or her abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and can make a contribution to his or her community”.
It is normal to experience fluctuations in mood and our ability to handle adverse or stressful situations. Exercise is an excellent tool to stabilise such fluctuations and bolster your body’s normal coping mechanisms.
For a modern-day business owner, running a business is often not the only thing you are overseeing. It is likely that a busy family awaits you at the end of the day and fills your weekends with extracurricular activities. While raising a family is one of life’s many great pleasures, it can add a lot of pressure to our daily life, and keep us from taking time to rest and restore. Unless you count collapsing in a heap at the end of the day as rest!
The Benefits of Exercise for Mental Health Conditions
The Mental Health Foundation reports that physical activity can dramatically improve the quality of life for those living with a mental health condition. It is believed to be equally effective in treating clinical depression as psychotherapy or medication and has better long-term benefits.
For those living with depression, regular, moderate exercise has been shown to provide incredible support in reducing the frequency of falling into a depressive state. It also helps elevate self-esteem, and improve coping skills and cognitive functioning, therefore, improving day-to-day life.
Regular exercise has also been shown to support people living with generalised anxiety disorder, phobias, panic attacks and stress disorders.
The Science
The benefits of exercise are three-fold – biochemical, physiological, and psychological.
Biochemical
Have you ever wondered why you feel so good after a stint of physical activity? Enter the endorphin! Endorphins are not only your body’s natural painkillers but are also directly responsible for your mood. Affectionately known as the feel-good hormone, endorphins are released into your bloodstream after exercise, resulting in an elevation in your mood!
Physiological
Physical activity improves:
- Muscle and heart function
- Increases blood flow to the brain
- Increases the efficiency of brain chemicals
- Promotes better sleep
Psychological
Physical activity can:
- Improve self-esteem
- Give you a sense of control over life
- Introduce a feeling of personal achievement
- Help with weight control, which can help you feel better about yourself
- Provide opportunities for socialising and meeting new friends.
Activity Inspiration
- Walking
- Jogging
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Dancing
- Yoga
- Aerobics
- weight training
- Team sports – soccer, netball, badminton and touch football, etc.
- Dog walking
Facts at a Glance
- Exercise enhances your mood – any activity that gets the blood pumping (aerobic activity) around your body will do the job – a brisk walk, a run, a bike ride, or resistance training are all great examples.
- Inactive people are up to twice as likely to experience depressive symptoms compared with active people.
- Exercise is believed to be equally as effective in the treatment of clinical depression as psychotherapy or medication.
- Frequency trumps intensity – 30 mins of moderate exercise 5 – 6 times per week is considered to be highly beneficial.
- The benefits of exercise are three-fold – biochemical, physiological, and psychological.
The world is a busy place. We love to buy into the pace it sets! Overcommitting, loading unnecessary expectations on ourselves and others and failing to make time to rest and recalibrate are among the many side effects of living in these modern times. As the global pandemic proved we are vulnerable beings. Protecting ourselves from vulnerability is mission-critical.
Prioritising exercise and the preservation of our mental health is the best protection we can employ!