How exercise melts away stress

You know that feeling when you finish a workout and, even though you really didn't feel like going at first, you're on a high — and even the colder water in the shower doesn't bother you the way it usually does. Why is that? Scientists have looked at exercise from many angles, and today we'll talk about the biggest benefits of training, the ones you'll never measure on the scales.

A trip back to prehistory

One scientific paper claims that aerobic exercise, such as jogging, swimming, cycling, and also walking, gardening or dancing, demonstrably reduces anxiety and depression. These improvements in mood are thought to come from exercise increasing blood flow to the brain, which in turn influences the body's physiological reactivity to stress. In other words, put very simply: get your blood pumping and you'll feel better.

If we teleport a few thousand years back in time, we run into our human ancestors, who were used to walking for hours in search of food, or later tending their fields so they wouldn't starve over the winter. Our brains are wired for movement, and what wears our bodies down the most is inactivity.

So who benefits from exercise? Everyone.

Plenty of scientific research has confirmed that exercise reduces symptoms of anxiety, depression and low mood, and improves self-esteem and cognitive function.

Exercise produced some fascinating results in patients with schizophrenia. These people are already prone to obesity, and they also face an additional risk of weight gain linked to their medication.

Patients with schizophrenia who took part in a 3-month conditioning programme showed improvements in weight control and reported higher levels of fitness, better exercise tolerance, lower blood pressure, greater perceived energy, and increased upper body and hand grip strength.

Nature on prescription

In Japan it's already common practice for your doctor to prescribe time spent in nature and, above all, movement of any kind. Trapped in our concrete cages, we lose touch with the nature our brains and bodies need so badly. The health benefits of any regular movement or exercise — which every mental health professional should be highlighting to their patients — include:

• Better sleep
• Increased interest in sex
• Better stamina
• Stress relief
• Improved mood
• More energy and endurance
• Reduced fatigue, which can boost mental alertness
• Weight loss
• Lower cholesterol and improved cardiovascular fitness

Of course, not everyone can get to the gym to lift iron several times a week. Good news!

Thirty minutes of moderate-intensity movement, such as brisk walking, should be enough to deliver these health benefits. What's more, those 30 minutes don't have to be in one go; three 10-minute walks are considered just as useful as one 30-minute walk.

If you're feeling good right now, go and train, or go for a walk. If you're feeling low… go and train, or go for a walk. :)

Read also: Motivation to exercise – how our brain can help us find it