Topic Tuesday // Physical Activity and Mental Health // Tues 6th July, 7:00-8:30PM AEST

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@Forumuser wrote:

Hi all l get good results from exercise when motivation is working .l wonder is it simply mood management for the short duration or could exercise help over longer time dealing with "core issues" ...l have never come across anything written on this ? How does exercise help longer term mental health?

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@Adge I really relate to social engagement being a big motivating factor for physical activity! I used to play a team sport which meant I would regularly do physical activity because I was part of a whole team. Without that in my life now and just relying on my own motivation, I find it hard to motivate myself to be more physically active.

I really hope your classes can start up again as soon as possible- I'm sorry to hear about the impact their cancellation has had for you It's definitely a challenging time

Okay, Thankyou @Peregrinefalcon

@That is helpful

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@Peregrinefalcon wrote:

Question 2: What gets you motivated to get active?

I enjoy the sense of energy it gives me – especially if I am having a day where I am feeling low.

- Doing an activity that I genuinely enjoy. If it is something I don’t really like, I will keep putting it off and procrastinating

- Scheduling a regular time that works best for me. I know that I have the most energy in the mornings and that if I say to myself "I'll work out later..." it won't happen!

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Regular time makes such a difference and enjoying what you do 🙂 It's always hard to keep with an activity that isn't enjoyable

Excellent point @Eve7 .

I think many are sick of exercise being framed as the great secret to managing mental health.

It is can be a key piece in the recovery journey - but it is certainly not the magic solution as it can sometimes be framed

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@Oaktree wrote:

Good evening all sorry I am late to the discussion. Excited to be involved as I am sedentary at the moment and need to start contemplating some exercise to help with my mental health.

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Welcome @Oaktree That's great to hear and hoping you find something you might be interested in thinking about from this discussion 🙂

I think the boring aspect comes in when you are doing something you don't want to do or don't enjoy doing. Also it can become overwhelming setting big goals, so I personally think the key to becoming active is picking something you like to do or would like to learn and setting small weekly goals. And not expecting too much too soon. Start off slow, walk to the end of your street and watch the sunset one night. Everyone loves a sunset 🙂

BB 🐰💙

Question 3: @Peregrinefalcon How has physical activity been shown to promote mental health and wellbeing?

For the community: How does it feel and what do you think when you do physical activity? Do you notice an impact on your mental health?

Question 3: @Peregrinefalcon How has physical activity been shown to promote mental health and wellbeing?

We all know about the physical health benefits of exercise but there is a host of mental health benefits, too. Here are some breif key points:

• Gaining benefit from physical activity is easier than we can sometimes think! Exercise does not need to be intense to feel the benefits, even a brief walk outside can be beneficial
• It can increase a sense of agency, autonomy and self-esteem by taking an active role in your wellbeing, especially if this is something that we have struggled with
• Exercise promotes the release of those lovely feel-good endorphins that enhance our sense of wellbeing
• Physical activity can serve as a healthy distraction and can ground us in the present by focusing on our body. There is evidence that this can help us to move out of the “freeze” stress response
• The benefits of physical activity have been perhaps most researched in the area of depression and anxiety, with numerous studies revealing the benefits of regular physical activity in both the prevention and management of depression and anxiety symptoms when compared to less-active individuals
• If done with other people, it can provide a source of social support and reduce feelings of loneliness

I can struggle to stay focused on the present a lot of the time (thanks, anxiety) and exercise forces me to focus on the here-and-now. It also helps act as a ‘circuit breaker’ for me when I can feel myself feeling stuck in a certain feeling.