Improve your moods by moving more
12th July 2010
Do you struggle to maintain a positive state of mind? Regardless of whether you’re suffering from depression or anxiety, or are simply overwhelmed by stress, maintaining a regular exercise regime may improve your mood and help you cope better. Even just a short walk around the block is enough to get you started. Here we explain how incorporating exercise into your lifestyle could help you overcome the blues.
Exercise for anxiety, depression and low moods
Research indicates that participating in regular exercise may help prevent depression, and can also play a valuable role in the treatment of mild depression and anxiety.
In some cases, regular exercise has been shown to be as effective as prescribed medicines or psychological therapy. So, if you suffer from mood problems, maintaining an active lifestyle should probably form a cornerstone of your treatment plan.
For example, one clinical study compared the effects of exercise and prescribed antidepressants in older people. Participants were treated with medication, aerobic exercise, or both. The group taking the medicines improved the most quickly, but over the four months of the study, the results of all three groups of patients were comparable, suggesting that over the longer term, the exercise therapy had a similar level of efficacy to the medication.
How it works
The benefits of exercise for mood problems are believed to be due to a combination of physical and psychological effects, including:
- Altering brain levels of key chemicals involved in depression, anxiety and stress (such as serotonin, endorphins and adrenaline).
- Improving sleeping patterns.
- Providing an opportunity for social contact.
- Increasing self-esteem and confidence, which may be derived from the satisfaction of taking an active role in addressing the problem, meeting goals and challenges, and developing a better body image.
- Disrupting the vicious cycle of negative thoughts that often fuel low moods.
What type of exercise is best?
Most research into the effects of exercise on mood has focussed on aerobic activities, so it’s probably best to focus your attention on those. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise (such as brisk walking, running, cycling or other aerobic activity) on most days of the week. If that’s not manageable, start with smaller amounts; even 15 minutes of activity is better than nothing.
Although vigorous exercise is likely to be the most effective, even milder activities such as walking the dog or weeding the garden can be a mood booster. Preliminary evidence suggests that tai chi, yoga and qigong may also be beneficial.
Motivation tips
If you’re feeling low, just getting off the couch can sometimes feel like hard work. These tips may help you stay motivated:
- Choose an activity you enjoy so you’re more likely to stick with it.
- Exercise to music you find uplifting and energising.
- If you’ve got a busy schedule, exercising for an hour a day just might not be possible. Set yourself targets that are easily achieved.
- Combining exercising and socialising can help you stick to your program, and also provides an opportunity for chatting and laughter.
- As with any change, developing new habits takes time. Don’t beat yourself up if you slide backwards for a few days, just pick yourself back up and start moving again tomorrow.
- Check out this article for more ideas on creating and sticking to healthy behaviour patterns. It’s the first in a comprehensive series and includes practical advice and motivation tips from Wallabies Coach Robbie Deans – who better than that to inspire you to action?
Exercise may play a role in the treatment of mood problems, but should not be used in place of other treatments. Do not stop taking prescribed medicines or make significant changes to your lifestyle, except on the advice of your healthcare professional. If you are concerned for your own safety or that of someone else, seek the advice of your doctor urgently, or phone Lifeline on 13 11 14 (in Australia) or 0800 543 354 (in New Zealand).
