Most of us are aware of the numerous physical benefits of exercise, but what many don't know is that physical activity is also a potent tool to improve our mental health. Research has shown that regular exercise can help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, enhance our mood, and even generate feelings of happiness.

In fact, physical exercise has been proven to change our brain chemistry in ways that contribute to better mental well-being. So, if you're looking for a way to boost your mood and feel happier, then regular exercise might just be the solution you've been looking for.

Let's explore how it works.

It's in Our Blood

We all agree that we "feel" better mentally when we regularly exercise and eat more consciously, right? 

Turns out there are a couple of primary reasons for that:

1. Endorphins and Endocannabinoids - Researchers believe that it's these two neurotransmitters working together that give us the feeling of calm and euphoria after a challenging run or workout of some sort.
2. Myokines - Commonly referred to as "Hope Molecules", myokines are one of several hundred cytokines or other small proteins (~5–20 kDa) and proteoglycan peptides that are produced and released by skeletal muscle cells (aka muscle fibers) in response to muscular contractions. Once in the bloodstream, they travel to the brain and positively influence our ability to regulate emotions, fight depression, sleep better, and more!

So we can immediately improve our mood through exercise, and we can also regulate our mood throughout the day because of it. 

To put it simply, our bodies literally manufacture happiness, peace, and mood regulation.

God, I love science. 

Exercise can be up 1.5x More Effective Than Counseling in Improving Mental Health 

The British Journal of Sports Medicine published a fantastic article summarizing the meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials designed to increase physical activity in an adult population and then assessed levels of depression, anxiety or psychological distress. 

Effectively, they reviewed the results of many individual studies of participants who fell somewhere on a wide spectrum of mental and physical health - from relatively standard mental and physical health to severe anxiety, depression, HIV, Kidney disease, and more. They wanted to see what effect the implementation of physical exercise had on the population in relation to their starting point both physically and mentally.

So what were the results of the study?

• Physical exercise had a positive effect on nearly every participant.
• For some, they achieved as high as 1.5x better results than they achieved with psychotherapy.

These are two remarkable outcomes, but here are some important notes to consider regarding the findings:

The positive effects of physical exercise were more potent in the first stages of implementing exercise into their lives, and the effects diminished as participants continued and as the exercise intensified.

To me, this is not a surprise or a problem because positivity has a greater effect on someone who needs it more than on someone who already receives some of the benefits.

For instance, when I was broke, an extra $1,000 per month was life-changing. Today, it's still helpful, but it's really more of a supplement to an already financially healthy life. Either way, that $1,000 is good. It just feels more impactful when I needed it more. 

The same principle applies here with implementing physical exercise into your life.

Let me be clear. In NO WAY am I saying that one should STOP counseling and replace it with exercise. This is not an either/or type of thing. 

I'm pointing out that the research suggests that for many people, regular physical activity has been shown to be more effective in reducing depression, anxiety and other mental health issues than counseling alone.

The powerful conclusion we can make of this is that ADDING physical exercise to your life has nothing but upside to it.

Additionally, supplementing ongoing psychotherapy/counseling with physical exercise might just be the key to breaking through a mental health barrier you're stuck at now.

I think we can all agree that it's worth a shot.

Where to Begin

If my plan to motivate you to implement physical exercise into your routine has been successful, then I'm glad. But like any good idea, it's only useful if we know how to take action on it

Here are a few pointers for getting started:

1. Please please PLEASE do not make the mistake of going from 0 (little to no physical exercise) to 100 (intense physical exercise) right away. Like Admiral Ackbar once said, "Its a trap!"  You're much more likely to succeed by starting off strong but also avoiding a burnout. In other words, do enough to progress but not too much that you can't sustain it. I call this your Sweet Spot of Sustainable Progress, and you can read more about it in this article if you'd like. 
2. Follow our 4 RBLD Steps for Success:
   • Reflect on what outcomes and lifestyle you truly want to live. Choose SMART goals.
   • Build a plan that identifies WHAT you're going to follow (workout program), WHERE you're going to do it (home, gym, other), and WHEN you're going to do it (days and times each week - set a schedule).
   • Learn the basics of fat loss, muscle growth, energy balance, nutrition, and psychology (we send 3-months of bite-sized education modules to your email) so you have a foundation of understanding to build a sustainable lifestyle of good decisions on. 
   • Do your best to honor the process, now and years from now. If you need help with motivation, planning, or accountability, contact me about our 1-on-1 unlimited coaching program that has changed the lives of numerous clients!
3. If you need help finding an exercise program that fits your schedule, location, and equipment (or lack thereof), we've got something for you! Try the 7-Day free trial of our RBLD Fitness App

All in all, don't wing it, and don't rely on motivation alone. If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right. 

Key Takeaways

I hope you've enjoyed this short and sweet article on how the body works to help us improve our mental health as well as how we can take steps today to improve matters dramatically and for the rest of our lives!

Here are the key takeaways from the article:

• Our body literally manufactures happiness, anti-depressants, and mood-regulating capabilities through physical exercise.
• In addition to psychotherapy, medicine, and other expert-recommended interventions, regular physical exercise could be the missing link between where you are and where you want to be regarding your mental health. 
• There are virtually no risks to implementing safe and regular physical exercise into your life. In fact, the long-term benefits make it a no-brainer.
• While the potency of those positive effects may rise and fall based on our individual circumstances and seasons in our lives, it remains is a positive activity to integrate into our life immediately and in perpetuity.
• The best way to integrate physical exercise into your life today:
  • Don't go too hard too fast. This is a lifelong endeavor. Slow and steady wins the race.
  • Follow the RBLD Steps for Success (We can help with any and all of these steps if needed)
    • Reflect on what you truly want.
    • Build a sustainable and effective plan using our WHAT, WHEN, and WHERE strategy
    • Learn the fundamentals about exercise, nutrition, biology and psychology
    • Do your best!
  • Try the 7-Day free trial of our RBLD Fitness App
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    • Log your calories, track your progress, and share your updates with us!
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Until next time, be well!

Teddy Woolsey

I am the owner of the RBLD Fitness Unlimited Coaching Program and RBLD Fitness App

I also write about the intersection of fitness and sustainable behavior change

Let's connect on Instagram: @tedwoolsey

Our team at RBLD Fitness is here to help you at any time, whether it's through our flexible and affordable mobile app or if you're looking for a more hands-on coaching experience. 

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