Exercise is being shown to alter children's brain structure for the better.
Newslook
Mental
health is an important part of everyone’s life. It shapes how we think,
feel and act when we’re alone and when we interact
with the environment. Many times, when we think of mental health, we
focus on an illness or a condition, but just
like our physical well-being, we all vary in mental healthiness. Much
like physical health, mental health requires regular maintenance.
Exercise
is good for the body, but did you know it is also good for the mind?
While many praise the physical benefits of working out, decades of
research indicate that it also can improve an individual’s mental
health. In fact, exercise has great benefits for cognitive processes and
emotions, and can even protect the brain from premature aging.
The saying goes
that “exercise will make you feel great.” Research on exercise and
mental health backs this statement, especially for individuals with a
mental health condition. In a systematic review of studies on mental
health treatment and exercise, Georgia Stathopoulou, Ph.D., and
colleagues at Boston University found that people who coupled exercise
with treatment enjoyed better mental health outcomes than those who did
not. Working out can even help improve a person’s ability to cope with
stress and function better at school and work.
Getting
started on a moderate or vigorous exercise regimen is best in
consultation with your doctor. One of the best ways to get started
exercising for your mental health is to do the things you love and focus
on the good feelings it brings you. Exercise is anything from taking a
stroll to your favorite places, dancing to your favorite songs, playing
with your pet, or turning down the lights and stretching and
breathing.
The
standard recommendation is that exercise should last 15 to 30 minutes
to reap the benefits. Nevertheless, the key to exercise for your mental
health is to maximize the “feel-good” benefits, not stress on reaching a
specific time. If you can only muster a 2-minute burst of energy,
that is OK. When you are ready, you will increase it, and your overall
health will reap the benefits.
Challenge yourself
to increase your exercise time and intensity. After a challenging
day, reward yourself. A walk followed by a long, hot shower or snuggling
with your pet can improve your mood or find a support group or partner
to enjoy exercising with. Your mental health will thank you.
The
National Association on Mental Illness reports one in five adults
experience a mental health condition each year. If you are experiencing a
mental health condition, it is OK to reach out for help. To be a part
of changing the conversation around mental health, check out
the Texas “Okay to Say” campaign at okaytosay.org.
Remember,
mental health is something everyone can maintain and improve — and
exercise is an important activity that provides mental benefits for
everyone to enjoy. Take the first steps to improve your mental health
and invite others to join you.
Eden Hernandez
Robles, Ph.D., MSW, is director of Empower Change, Paso del Norte Center
for Mental and Emotional Well-being. Hernandez Robles can be reached at
erobles9@utep.edu and 747-7986.
Where to get help
Empower
Change: Paso del Norte Center for Mental and Emotional Well-being is a
backbone organization from the Paso del Norte Health Foundation
that works with community partners to decrease the negative bias
associated with mental illness and improve access to quality mental and
behavioral health services in the region.
If you need mental health services, contact the following:
Emergence Health Network Crisis Line — 779-1800; emergencehealthnetwork.org
National Alliance on Mental Illness-El Paso — 778-5726; namiep.org
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline — 800-273-8255; suicidepreventionlifeline.org
Veterans Crisis Line — 800-273-8255, Press 1
Crisis Text Line — Text – 741741
Credit: elpasotimes
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