Do you go through phases of working out regularly and then stopping for any number of reasons? Do you then press yourself to exercise again because you know how good it makes you feel?
The body and mind are interwoven entities that cannot be separated. One has a profound influence on the other. When our bodies let us down, our mental health can also deteriorate, and vice versa.
This is more than just a feeling — there’s science to back it up. Let’s delve a little deeper.
Serotonin is a chemical found in the brain and gut that helps to regulate mood as well as your body’s internal clock. Dopamine is a brain chemical that literally plays a role in how happy you are. High serotonin and dopamine levels are good. Low levels are bad and can contribute directly to poor mental health and depression.
A study called "An examination of serotonin and psychological variables in the relationship between exercise and mental health" found a connection between the brain and body when it comes our brain chemicals that help with better mental health. It was published in 2011 by the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports.
The Journal reported that "untrained participants were randomly assigned to an aerobic exercise group or to a stretching-control group. Participants completed several questionnaires to assess psychological variables, including measures of depression and anxiety, and blood was drawn at pre- and post-test to measure serum serotonin levels.
"A mixed-design ANOVA revealed that the exercise group had lower levels of depression than the stretching-control group after the intervention. The exercise group also showed a larger percentage decrease in serotonin than the stretching-control group. This reduction in blood serotonin after exercise is similar to the effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors [SSRI's]".
SSRIs are the most commonly prescribed antidepressants.
Dopamine, the feel-good chemical, is contained in our brain. Dopamine levels are reduced with age which is why many people may take up (or should take up) new activities in middle age, in order to keep these levels up.
It may also explain the man who purchases his new Porsche at age 60 or the woman who decides to travel the world after retirement. Humans will chase the need for positive excitement to maintain or increase this happy chemical.
When we work out regularly — or eat, or have an orgasm — our brain keeps producing more dopamine. Since dopamine makes us happy, we crave more. So instead of succumbing to too much food (or drugs that can provide dopamine but end up causing addiction), try exercising. Working out can keep the release of this chemical in steady supply, thus regulating our mood and increasing our happiness.
This isn’t anything new. David J. Linden, a professor of neuroscience at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, wrote in The New York Times that “our brains have an ancient pleasure/reward circuit that depends upon the release of the neurotransmitter dopamine from neurons in a region called the ventral tegmental area, or V.T.A.”
So physical activity has its roots firmly in our DNA. It may explain how so many people work in the outdoors at a physical job are perhaps extra tired but physically fit and often say they appreciate the physicality of working outdoors. They can also benefit from sunlight, something also known to help increase mood.
Exercise and physical fitness is in no way a guarantee against depression or other mental health conditions. There are so many variables in mental health that there is no one cure for anything.
Many people find that a combination of therapies (including talk therapy, medication and physical exercise) work best for them. But for others, regular exercise can stave off mild depression or feelings of being down, since being in poor shape alone can affect mood.
Our bodies enjoy physical fitness. It helps to keep our weight under control, we can build strong muscles and bones and enjoy better heart health. We sleep better and have more energy. But the benefits to our brains cannot be under-estimated. And when both body and mind are healthy and fit, happiness is ours for the taking.
Sources:
Wiley Online Library. Sports Medicine & Orthopedics. Sports Medicine > Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports. Vol 21 Issue 3. Abstract. "An examination of serotonin and psychological variables in the relationship between exercise and mental health." Web. Retrieved September 9th, 2015.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1600-0838.2009.01049.x/abst...
The New York Times. Room for Debate. “Exercise Can Be Addictive, but It’s Well Worth the Risk.” Web. Retrieved September 8th, 2015.
http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2013/06/24/addicted-to-endorphins/e...
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Retrieved September 8th, 2015.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/ssris/...
Reviewed September 10, 2015
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith