The benefits of exercise on mental health
Caroline Keohane ‘24
Have you ever wondered why Cate makes everyone do afternoon sports? I mean, they are so important, you could risk not graduating if you do not have enough sports credits. But why does it matter? Why the intense emphasis on exercise?
Despite what you may think, this is not Cate wanting everyone to be insane athletes or bodybuilders. It is not about our bodies at all; it is about our minds.
So it is 3:30, you have just finished a day of five hard classes and the last thing you want to do is jump in the pool or run laps, here is what you should think about…
Improves mood:
While we have all heard that movement can make us feel better, there is solid science to back this up. According to the Primary Care Companion, a medical journal on clinical psychiatry, when our body begins to exercise, our heart rate spikes and we are out of breath. This is because our body is under stress which makes it naturally release endorphins. Endorphins act as analgesics and bind to the same receptors that pain medications would, reducing our body’s perception of pain and inducing a feeling of pleasure and wellbeing. So if you are human, working out is guaranteed to improve your mood and leave you feeling better and less stressed.
Helps you stay mentally sharp:
The physical activity you have to do can also help you stay mentally sharp. When exercising, your heart rate increases causing more blood to be pumped and your brain to be oxygenated more which improves its functioning. Exercising also releases hormones in your body that create an optimal environment for cell growth and stimulates the growth of new connections between cells in the brain. So if you have a really important test, or a hard math homework, getting in that exercise can really help your brain function.
Gives you energy:
You may not want to exercise because you are too tired, but exercising can actually increase your energy levels in the long run. One You Leeds, a health organization based in the United Kingdom says that this is because when you exercise you are using up a lot of energy that comes from your cell's mitochondria or “the powerhouse of the cell” as we all know it. Since you use so much energy when you exercise, your body's reaction is to try to keep up so it produces more mitochondria to keep you more energized. So the more physical exercise you do, the more mitochondria your body produces and the more energy you will have.
Helps you sleep better:
If you think taking a nap would be more beneficial than going to work out, think twice. While the connection between exercise and sleep is not fully understood yet, it is known that exercise increases the amount of low-wave, or deep sleep, that you get. When you exercise, you are putting stress on your body and using up a lot of its energy, so in order for your body to bounce back from that, naturally, it will need to sleep more and so you will be able to go to sleep faster as well.
Gives the benefit of being on a team:
Going to that afternoon sport can also benefit you from being in a team environment. Many Cate students can attest to making many friends on sports teams and they are a good way to have cross-grade interactions. Being a valued member of a team can build someone's confidence and pride in themselves and also helps teach collaboration. All essential life skills.
What is the ideal amount of exercise?
If you still are not convinced about the mental health benefits of doing a sport, it is still important to be active in other ways, but there are a lot of misconceptions about how active we should be. So what is the ideal amount of exercise? To reap all the benefits outlined above, according to the Mayo Clinic, it is recommended that young adults get around 150 minutes of continuous moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise twice a week, but 30 minutes daily is also considered sufficient. Even as we move on from the rigidly structured schedule of Cate where we are given the time to move our bodies, it is still important to remain active in our busy lives. Some simple ways to do this include, walking places, taking the stairs, or park far away from your destination.
But always remember, “everything in moderation.”
Laskowski, Robert M.D.: "Exercise: How much do I need every day?"
One You Leeds: Exercise for energy | how does exercise boost energy levels?
Madaan, Vishal- Petty, D. Fredrick- Sharma, Ashish: Exercise for Mental Health
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