Exercise and Mental Health

Lifestyle changes may be a cost-effective method to enhance health and quality of life in this era of exponential expansion of the "metabolic syndrome" and obesity. Individuals suffering from severe mental illness may find that lifestyle changes are extremely important. Many of these people are predisposed to chronic illnesses linked to sedentary behavior and medication side effects, such as diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and cardiovascular disease. Exercise is an important part of changing one's lifestyle. Patients and mental health experts alike do not fully understand or appreciate the value of exercise. Exercise appears to be an underutilized intervention in mental health care. 

Distraction, self-efficacy, and socialization are some of the other possibilities for explaining the beneficial impacts of physical activity on mental health. While formal group programs can be beneficial for people suffering from significant mental illnesses, lifestyle adjustments that emphasize the accumulation and growth of moderate-intensity movement throughout the day may be more suited for the majority of patients. Surprisingly, adherence to physical exercise programs appears to be equivalent in mentally ill patients to that in the general population.

Aerobic workouts such as running, swimming, cycling, and walking have been shown to alleviate anxiety and sadness. These mood benefits are thought to be mediated by an increase in blood circulation to the brain generated by exercise, as well as an effect on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and, consequently, on the physiologic responsiveness to stress. This physiological influence is most likely mediated by the HPA axis' communication with several brain regions, including the limbic system, which controls motivation and mood; the amygdala, which generates fear in response to stress; and the hippocampus, which is involved in memory formation as well as mood and motivation.

Exercise benefits mental health by decreasing anxiety, sadness, and bad moods as well as enhancing self-esteem and cognitive performance. Exercise has also been shown to help with symptoms such as poor self-esteem and social disengagement. Exercise is especially essential in individuals with schizophrenia since these people are susceptible to obesity and because antipsychotic therapy, particularly atypical antipsychotics, carries an added risk of weight gain. People with schizophrenia who exercise on a regular basis experience improved weight control, enhanced fitness levels, exercise tolerance, lower blood pressure levels, increased felt energy levels, and increased upper body and hand grip strength levels.