Download Mental Health - Bragg Creek Physiotherapy

One New Year Resolution = Ten Benefits!
Many people make New Year resolutions of exercising to get back in shape, work off
those holiday indulgences and get ready for that beach holiday. However, there’s an
added bonus: research shows that exercise has benefits above the neck too!
Scientists have been researching how exercise can boost brain function, reduce
symptoms of depression and improve mental health illnesses, such as dementia.
Here are ten reasons exercise can benefit your mental health:
1. Improve self confidence – We typically attribute exercise to losing pounds,
and fitting our clothes better. However, regardless of weight, age or gender,
exercise can elevate one’s perception of his or her appearance, thereby
improving one’s self worth and self confidence.
2. Happy chemicals – Studies have shown that exercise can alleviate symptoms
among the clinically depressed. Getting your body moving releases
endorphins, which boost feelings of happiness and euphoria. Whether it’s
walking, snowshoeing, or the elliptical, just 30 minutes a few times a week
can boost your overall mood.
3. Reduce stress – Despite the good cheer the holidays bring, December is
typically a stressful time. With the arrival of January, it’s time to sweat that
stress away! Working up a sweat can help manage physical and mental
stress. Exercise has been shown to increase the release of norepinephrine, a
chemical that moderates the brain’s response to stress.
4. Prevent cognitive decline – In 1979, researchers from Cardiff University
followed 2,235 individuals as they entered old age. While a healthy diet and
not smoking were important factors, they found exercise to be the biggest
factor when it came to preventing dementia. They found that people who
followed four out of five factors of regular exercise, low body weight, healthy
diet, low alcohol intake and not smoking, had a 60% decrease in both
dementia and cognitive decline rates.
5. Boost brain cells – various studies have shown that cardiovascular exercise
can facilitate neurogenesis, aka new brain cells, and improve overall brain
performance. It is thought that exercise promotes a brain derived protein
known, in scholarly circles, as BDNF (brain derived neurotrophic factor). In
the brain, BDNF is active in the hippocampus, cortex and basal forebrain –
areas vital to memory, higher thinking and learning.
6. Improved memory – back to that hippocampus! The increased production of
cells in the areas of the brain responsible for memory, learning, and mood
have helped researchers link children’s brain development with level of
physical fitness (more Red Rover please!).
7. Control addiction – dopamine is a neurotransmitter in the brain that plays a
major role in reward motivated behavior. In response to any type of
pleasure, be it exercise, drugs, alcohol or food, there is an increase in the
levels of dopamine in the brain. Some people develop addictions and may
rely on certain substances that amplify the effects of dopamine, namely drugs
and alcohol. It has been shown that short bouts of exercise can effectively
distract drug or alcohol addicts, making them de-prioritize cravings for the
short term. Interesting nonetheless!
8. Sleep better – on the theme of certain vices…alcohol has been shown to
disrupt many body processes, including circadian rhythms. Exercise can help
reboot our body’s internal clock and facilitate you hitting the hay at the right
time. A recent study on women diagnosed with insomnia, randomly assigned
them to a 16 week program of 30 minute exercise sessions 3-4x/week. By the
end of the study, they reported sleeping 45min-1hour longer on most nights,
waking up less often and feeling more vigor and less sleepiness overall.
9. Relieve anxiety – when you have anxiety or depression, exercise often feels
like the last thing you want to do. However, it has been shown to make a big
difference. Some factors include releasing those happy chemicals that may
ease depression, reduce immune system chemicals shown to worsen
depression and by increasing body temperature, shown to have calming
effect. Anything that gets you off the couch and moving is exercise that can
help improve your mood.
10. Enjoy the great outdoors – for an extra boost of mood enhancing fresh air,
take that workout outside. All that Vitamin D acquired from soaking up the
sun (yes, even in the winter!) has been shown to lessen the likelihood of
experiencing depressive symptoms.
There is some food for thought for kicking off your New Year right. Welcome 2014
with feelings of self worth, happiness, good moods and a strong, healthy body and
mind. Happy New Year from all of us at Bragg Creek Physiotherapy.