There’s something about moving your physical body that can do wonders for your mental health. It’s not surprising, really. We’re whole beings and any attempts to separate our mental health from our physical health only get us so far. But does physical activity really make a difference in our mental wellbeing — or is it just a placebo?

What the science says

To get to the bottom of it, we did some research on the way physical activity affects mental health. Fortunately, we’re not the first people to wonder if exercising directly improves an individual’s mental health. Countless studies have looked into this question.

Here are a few key takeaways from our research:

• Exercise helps people with depression and anxiety regardless of their age or sex
• Physical activity could be a more powerful mental health tool than many people, including the modern Western medical community, realize
• Exercise has positive effects on people with schizophrenia
• People who regularly engage in physical activity have fewer poor mental health days than those who don’t
• Healthy amounts of physical activity are linked to an improvement in mood
• Exercise can alleviate primary mental health disorder symptoms and secondary symptoms like low self-esteem and social withdrawal

Seems pretty convincing, right? But we were curious. How, exactly, does exercise do so much for mental health?

What physical activity does for your brain

So how does it work? When you get moving, your body releases certain neurotransmitters. These are the chemical signals that control everything from your mood (very important here) to your appetite, sleep, and stress levels.

Exercise increases your body’s output of neurotransmitters that are important for mood regulation, including serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. If those sound familiar, it’s because they’re the same neurotransmitters that many mental health medications aim to stimulate.

Physical activity helps improve your brain’s output of the neurotransmitters that help you feel mentally healthy while also regulating the creation of the neurotransmitters and hormones that aren’t particularly helpful, like cortisol (the stress hormone).

Getting started with getting active

This all sounds well and good — but what if you hate working out? Don’t worry! Moving your body doesn’t have to mean logging time at the gym or slogging through a run. Any type of physical activity can give you a mental health boost.

Find the type of exercise you most enjoy. Is it a long walk in the park? A swim? A yoga class? A hike through Arroyo Verde Park? Standup paddleboarding? Your options are pretty much endless. Try a bunch of different things until you find a way to get physically active that you really enjoy. That way, you’re a whole lot more likely to stick with it. And regular physical activity is the key to keeping those chemicals in your brain balanced.

Exercise is just one tool you can use to support your mental health. If you want help building a full toolbox, we’re here! Get in touch with the Ventura Counseling & Wellness Center today.