Jess here, Rebel master trainer and BACP registered Integrative Therapist.
It’s safe to say that movement is a powerful tool for supporting our mental wellbeing. Whether that’s getting out for a walk to clear your head, attending a yoga class to slow down and chill out, punching a bag to let go of stress, going to a Ride class to forget reality and get lost in the music or shaking off a stressful day at work by going for a run. I am guessing as someone who has come to this blog post by way of 1Rebel you already have your own experience of how movement can help support your mental health.
So lets have a look in a little more detail.
The science part …
I am sure it isn’t brand new information that exercise literally has a positive impact on how we feel Neurotransmitters such as dopamine often referred to as ‘Happy Hormones’ are released when we exercise, during and after. I would argue that because this is common knowledge it can be easy to minimise but if we really digest that it is an unarguable fact that exercise will literally help people to feel better. It has a chemical reaction in brain and body and has been described as a natural anti-depressant. It is also no secret that regular exercise can improve sleep quality, reduce risk of many diseases, lower blood pressure, increase bone density and it’s important to note that a better physical quality of life will ultimately contribute to feeling better mentally as physical ailments also come with emotional and mental side effects.
The mindset part …
So it is safe to say there is a lot of science to support the claim that movement for a mental health is a legitimate prescription. But in addition to looking at the brain I’d like to look at how movement can help to build mental strength, resilience and overall sense of mental wellbeing. As this is a topic I could write a book on I decided to keep it short and sweet and outline my top three reasons why and how movement improves mental health:
1. “It makes the voice that says I can louder then the one that says I cant”
Exercise requires effort and showing up for a workout is not always the easiest decision. Every time you show up for yourself and commit to your plan to move you build a confidence and trust in yourself that you can and will do hard things. During a workout in moments that feel gritty but you keep going you are, again, proving to yourself that you are mentally and physically strong. It might not be that frequent or it might feel like every time but there will always be a time where you think “I can’t do this today” but you prove yourself wrong. This strengthens your sense of your capacity to overcome obstacles and we can then apply that mindset to moments that challenge us in other contexts.
2. Community. Okay so I know this isn’t applicable to all forms of movement but exercise can often improve mental wellbeing because it can unlock a new social circle or increase moments of positive social interaction. Humans need human connection – so much so it is even argued that it boosts life expectancy. Lots of movement outlets promote community whether that’s a running club, a class that all go for drinks every week or simply that familiar face on front of house that knows your name or the person on the box/bag/bike/bed next to you who sends you a friendly smile. These little moments of human connection and sense of camaraderie can reduce feelings of loneliness or isolation which in turn boosts our mental wellbeing.
3. Connection. Connecting with your body. It is easy to fall into the trap of ‘living in your head’. Constant worries, demands, to do lists, stressors, anxiety – the list goes on. Movement gives us time to get out of our heads and into our bodies. If you train with me you’ll know this already but I always allow at least 60secs in class for some intuitive movement and mobilisation. I invite people to do whatever their body needs. I cannot count the amount of times I see clueless expressions, confusion, vulnerability, awkwardness – like taking the lead from the body and not the mind is so alien. Our bodies are a powerful source of information – “gut reactions” for example. If we disconnect from our bodies we are disconnecting from huge insights about ourself and the world around us. Movement helps to build or rebuild that connection.
So in short there is a robust argument that movement is medicine for our mental health. Scientifically we know it has immediate mood boosting effects as well as helping us prevent a whole host of physical ailments for which will also have to pay an emotional tax. Socially and emotionally we can see that overtime it can help to increase our sense of inner strength, connection to our bodies as a source of information and connect us to a wider community.
Jess
