When you think about exercise, what comes to mind? Perhaps losing weight, getting fitter, strengthening your muscles or improving your physical health. But there is another very important reason to exercise: your mental health.
As a psychologist with more than 23 years of experience, I have seen how powerful physical activity can be in helping people feel better emotionally. Regular movement can help improve mood, reduce stress, increase energy, improve sleep and help us to feel more resilient and better able to cope with life’s challenges.
Yet there is an unfortunate catch. When you are feeling stressed, worried, exhausted or low in mood, exercise can be the very last thing you feel like doing. Often, that is precisely when getting moving can be most helpful.
Exercise doesn’t have to mean going to the gym
People sometimes hear the word “exercise” and imagine running for an hour or completing an exhausting workout. It does not have to be anything of the sort.
Exercise is simply physical activity—movement that uses your muscles and energy. It can range from mild activity, such as walking or gardening, to moderate activities such as power walking, hiking or cycling, through to more vigorous exercise such as running, swimming or aerobics. Playing sport, dancing, yoga and housework also count. With so many possibilities, the important thing is finding ways of moving that work for you.
Why is exercise so good for your mind?
Exercise can affect your emotional wellbeing in numerous ways. Physical activity can improve your mood and increase your energy. It can help you sleep better and may improve your self-esteem by providing a sense of achievement and helping you feel stronger and more capable.
Exercise can also help you think more clearly. Physical activity has been associated with improvements in concentration, memory, learning, mental stamina and creativity. It can also act as a buffer against everyday stress.
One of the messages I particularly want people to understand is that you don’t need to exercise intensely to experience the benefits. Even relatively small increases in physical activity can be worthwhile.
Start small
One of the most common mistakes people make is setting the bar too high.
You might decide that from Monday you are going to exercise for an hour, five days a week. You manage it for several days, perhaps even a couple of weeks, but then life gets in the way. You miss a session, become discouraged and eventually stop altogether.
A much better approach is to begin with something achievable.
If you have been doing very little exercise, start with a 10- or 15-minute walk. Once that becomes manageable, increase it gradually. You might then add a bike ride, a Pilates class, swimming or another activity.
Small goals give you the opportunity to succeed. Success builds confidence and makes it easier to take the next step.
Choose something you actually enjoy
The best form of exercise is not necessarily the activity that burns the most calories or looks most impressive. It is the one you will actually do. Ask yourself whether there was an activity you enjoyed in the past. Perhaps you loved cycling, swimming, dancing, tennis, bushwalking or simply walking along the beach. Could you start doing it again?
Exercising with another person can also make a significant difference. Arrange to walk with a friend, join a class with somebody you know or organise a regular bike ride. Having another person involved can provide both enjoyment and accountability, making it harder to talk yourself out of exercising.
Look for opportunities to move throughout the day
Formal workouts are not the only way to become more active. Incidental exercise means increasing movement as part of ordinary life. Take the stairs rather than the lift. Walk during your lunch break. Park further from your destination. Walk to speak to a colleague rather than emailing them. Garden, wash the car, do housework more energetically or play outside with your children. These small amounts of movement accumulate throughout the day.
A fitness tracker or phone can also encourage you to gradually increase your daily steps. Do not become fixated on reaching 10,000. Your starting point might be considerably lower. What matters is moving more than you do now and recognising that every improvement counts.
Don’t let setbacks become an excuse to give up
There will be days when you do not exercise. There may even be weeks when your routine falls apart. That does not mean you have failed. Avoid criticising yourself or deciding that all your previous effort was wasted. Simply start again.
If something repeatedly gets in your way, identify the barrier and look for a practical solution. If mornings are difficult, exercise later. If you struggle to motivate yourself, arrange to meet a friend. If you are short of time, start with ten minutes. If pain or a health problem limits your mobility, speak to an appropriate health professional about forms of activity that may be suitable for you.
Do something today
You do not need to run a marathon. You simply need to move. Choose something manageable and, preferably, enjoyable. Start small, schedule it into your week and gradually build from there. Most importantly, notice how you feel afterwards. That may eventually become one of your greatest sources of motivation.
Exercise is not only something you do for your body. It is one of the most valuable things you can do to support your mind, improve your emotional wellbeing and build greater resilience for whatever life brings.
For more practical strategies on this topic, see Chapter 3, “Exercise Is One of the Best Ways to Maintain a Healthy Mind”. Chantal Kayem is a psychologist and author of The Art of a Peaceful Life: Ten Key Principles for a Healthier Mind and Inner Harmony [Find out more about the book].