The Effects Of Exercise On Mental Health Essay

The Effects of Exercise on Mental Health Essay
Some hypothesize that moderate levels of exercise will decrease the symptoms of mental health conditions (Blumenthal et al., 2007; Diaz & Motta,
2008; Motta, Kuligowski, & Marino, 2010; Rosenbaum, Nguyen, Lenehan, Tiedemann, van der Ploeg, & Sherrington, 2011) and therefore be used as
an alternative or complimentary treatment option for mental health (Libby, Pilver, & Desai, 2012). While the research of Blumenthal et al. (2007)
focused on exercise being effective in reducing self–reported depressive symptoms, Diaz and Motta (2008) and Motta, Kuligowski, and Marino (2010)
looked at the positive effects of exercise on depression, anxiety and PTSD. The theory of exercise's positive effect on mental health has heavily been
focused on...show more content...
However, Diaz and Motta focused their study on adolescent participants and on PTSD. For this study, participants were between the ages of 14 and
17 and were all female from a residential treatment facility that met the criteria for PTSD (Diaz & Motta, 2008). The researchers used the following
self–report inventories to measure the level of PTSD: (a) Child PTSD Symptom Scale [CPSS] (Foa, Johnson, Feeny, & Treadwell, 2001), (b) Trauma
Symptom Checklist for Children [TSCC] (Briere, 1996), (c) Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children [MASC] (March, 1997), (d) Children's
Depression Inventory [CDI] (Kovacs, 1992) (Diaz & Motta, 2008). Libby, Pilver & Desai (2012) also conducted a study looking at PTSD but focused
their attention on a global effect of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) on the mental health issue. The researchers finalized 599
participants whose information was gathered through the following instruments: (a) National Comorbidity Survey–Replication [NCS–R] (Kessler et
al., 2004), (b) National Latino and Asian American Survey [NLAAS] (Algeria et al., 2004), (c) National Survey of American Life [NSAL]
(Jackson, Neighbors, Nesse, Trierweiler, & Torres, 2004) (Libby, Pilver, & Desai 2012). Motta, Kuligowski, and Marino (2010) reviewed the trends
in literature on how exercise plays a role in reducing symptoms of PTSD, depression and anxiety in children. The researchers look at the literature on
anxiety, depression
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Benefits of Exercise Outline Essay
Public Speaking Preparation Outline
Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about how exercise controls weight, combats health conditions and diseases, and improves mood.
Central Idea: Exercise and physical activity are a great way to feel better, gain health benefits and have fun.
Introduction
You're sweating, panting, and have a feeling of euphoria. You don't know why you feel so good when there has just been so much stress put on your
body (Attention–Getter).
We've all gone through this feeling of exhaustion known as exercise. It can tire us out, yet leave a rewarding, kind of paradoxical feeling of energy.
I have this reaction every time I train for triathlons (Credibility).
I'm sure you've had this same feeling when...show more content...
Cells depend on the oxygen and nutrients supplied by the blood to do their various jobs–from the heart muscle cells that keep your heart pumping to the
brains cells that keep you thinking and coordinating your countless activities.
Being active boosts high–density lipoprotein, or "good" cholesterol and decreases unhealthy triglycerides.
This, in effect, protects against heart disease and stroke.
Nerve cells benefit from better blood flow.
Physical activity is able to shift neurons in your brain from a revved, stressed state–more vulnerable to dangerous cardiac rhythms and heart attacks–to
a relaxed state.
This is important because you want this system working smoothly so that it efficiently responds to changing demands for oxygen, speeding up the rate
when you are active and slowing it down when you are at rest.
It also improves your metabolism – the ongoing chemical processes within living cells and organisms that are necessary for the maintenance of life.
For example, muscle tissue is the biggest consumer of glucose (blood sugar that has been broken down from dietary carbohydrates) and physical
activities helps keep muscles utilizing blood sugar.
This helps prevent insulin levels from rising dangerously in the body–a condition that leads to diabetes and damage to the nerves, blood vessels, and the

liver.
These all lower your risk of developing a life–threatening condition.

Exercise Argumentative Essay
Exercise. The Ultimate Preventative.
Exercise should be one of the largest priorities in an individual's life. In the United states, the leading cause of death is heart disease, which can be
prevented simply by the task of exercising. According to Disease Prevention and Exercise there are about 1.6 billion people in the world who are
considered to be obese and the United States has one of the highest rate of obesity. Exercise can not only reduce the risk of health problems and other
diseases, but it also has an effect on an individual's mood and one's psyche. Exercising is even enjoyed and seen as a hobby by some individuals. As
a society, we need to drastically improve our physical fitness. By doing so we can increase our own physical health, mental health, and our overall
well–being. Exercise. It's nothing new. It has been around since the beginning of mankind. Around 10,000 B.C. everyday physical activity was required
from the nomads when they hunted or collected water. Some nomads would even travel up to twenty miles in one day to visit neighboring tribes.
Around 500 B.C. the Chinese teacher, politician, and philosopher Confucius believed that exercise played a key role in preventing diseases that
involved organ malfunction. This belief led him to influence the development of chinese gymnastics, wrestling, and even dancing. Around 200 B.C. the
Greeks held fitness in extremely high regards. They believed that the development of the body was just as important as the

The Health Benefits of Exercise Essay
Exercise is one of the most important factors in a persons' life. Physical activity, or the lack of it, can result in a person having a healthy life or cause
them to have diabetes. The benefits of exercise are countless. The positive health results, the improvement in attitude, even better academic
performance are all factors which make not exercising inexcusable.
Merely not using a person's body is harmful. Not being active results in a person's muscles becoming weak and out of condition. The effectiveness of
a person's heart and lungs will decrease. A person's joints will become stiff and can be injured easily. Inactivity can be as much of a health risk as
smoking. In addition children have become extremely lazy with all the...show more content...
Adults should have around thirty to sixty minutes of physical activity four to six times a week. Two hours and thirty minutes is the minimum a fully
developed person needs to lessen the risk of having some type of chronic disease later in life ("Information").
Physical fitness has two main classifications–performance related and health related. People have different performance related requirements in
accordance with their occupation but all people have the same health related requirements (The World). Then there are two types of exercise that helps
tone a person's body while increasing its endurance. These are aerobic and anaerobic. Aerobic exercise is exercise that uses the muscles and
bones. Cardio activities are a good example of this, such as running or biking. This type of exercise increases the strength of a person's heart and
boosts their lung capacity. Anaerobic exercise is an intense but short amount of exercise (Payment). Since it is only for a brief amount of time, it
does not require the amount of oxygen aerobic exercise does. Instead it uses glycogen which comes from the sugar in a person's blood. An example
of this exercise is weight lifting or sprinting. A person's requires both anaerobic and aerobic exercise for good health. Simply doing a cardio work out
is not healthy, and for a person to see real results there must be some activity like weight lifting ("Anaerobic").
By performing some type of physical activity each

Benefits of Making Exercise a Habit in Your Life
Introduction
Adding exercises into one's daily routines can empower them and change their
whole lifestyle. Many people look at exercise as a way for people who want to lose weight
or to become muscular, but there are a great deal of benefits that can be received from
exercise that you cant see up front, exercise helps to become more organized, help to live
a better and longer life, and increases self esteem and empowers you to take on new
challenges. Gaining muscle and losing fat are the two most important reasons that usually
attract people to the gym, but those are only small benefits that are achieved with
exercise. There are several ways that I have benefited in my life from exercising daily,
besides just making me bigger and stronger.
First Subtopic
Exercise has a huge effects on the brain and it may be the best wonder drug of
them all. Scientists are finding that exercise actually helps prevent mental decline as we

age. Regular exercise will also create more brain cells This process is called
"neurogenesis." which will enhance memory, planning and organization skills, as well as
the ability to juggle many mental tasks. Researchers believe if you exercise for at least 30
minutes on most days of the week can help keep your brain and blood pumping and
sharp. Exercise improves how well the body can pump blood to the brain, helping it
perform better.
Scientists say that activity increases the growth of nerve cells in the

Reflection Paper On Exercise
I am relatively active and usually work out for about 45 minutes five days a week. This is because I was just in fitness for life 1 and have gotten
into the routine of working out. I haven't played any sports as of late, but in the summer time I go biking, hiking, and play tennis often. Winter is
usually a less popular time for me to be exercising just because of how cold it is outside as I do prefer to be outside. Right now I am running
outside and cycling at the gym. I like to work out outside whenever I can. I may run around Lake Harriet, Lake Calhoun, or Lake of the Isles if it is
nice outside. If it is too cold out I go cycling at the Brooklyn Center Community Center. Sometimes I work out with my friend Rachel, but she is
quicker than me so it is harder to keep up. Other times I will bring my dog along for a run and that is usually fun. I am physically active five or six
days in a typical week. I usually work out for around forty five minutes every session and I have found that it is a good amount of time. Exercise makes
me feel very good, but only after the workout session. During, I feel as if I am exploding or dying. It can be very hard. Afterwards I usually feel
very energetic and happy. This is an improvement from the usual slouchy feeling I have during a day I don't exercise on. I think the benefits to me
from exercise are becoming fit, having my mood lifted, feeling more energised, and I tend to feel better rested.
Fitness for life has definitely been a factor in influencing my activity level as it forced me to begin exercising regularly and recording it all. My
parents have also encouraged me to be more active as it is winter and I don't do very many activities that make me move during the winter. My
friends have also influenced my activity level by having me run with them, however, they are much faster than me. I think that I am at a great
activity level right now and don't feel a need to increase it because at this point every new workout is a challenge. Having to work during the week
keeps me from exercising because I only have forty five minutes between getting home from school and then going to work to do anything, and I'd
prefer to just rest for that time as I would be on my feet for my

My Best Experience With Exercise In My Life
Your body is sore from physical exercises and you feel like giving up. Then you realize that having exercise in your life will help reach your
personal goals. Exercise can be a pain, but it is the good type of pain that motivates us to reach our goals. Currently, exercise has helped me to study
better for tests and to enjoy a fun sport with family. If I continue to have exercise in my life, I will have a healthy future.
My best experience with exercise was when I learned how to ride a two–wheel bicycle. I was 11 years old at the time and my father bought a new
bicycle for me. We went to a park and my father was giving me a little push to move forward. I almost fell and my nerves were kicking in. However, I
saw my father ride his bicycle with...show more content...
I still remember my whole body being sore from the first exercise routine. It showed me how much I needed to exercise my body or I will be in big
trouble when it comes to anything physical. I had to do pushups, sit ups, and so much more. When I went to the gym, I was given a personal
workout to complete. I will make my own exercise plan to implement in my studying hours at college. This gym class helped me to push my
hardest, even if I felt a lot of pain. I was able to overcome difficult workouts, like performing, squats, mountain climbers, and especially burpees.
Time management is a weakness that I still need to work on. I will be able to manage my time with studies and physical activities in college. At the
beginning of the year, my goals were to lose pounds, and improve on exercises that I did not like, such as running and pushups. I improved on my
running by running up a hill multiple times. I had more oxygen pumping throughout my body that enable me to run a farther distance.I lost some
pounds and my family is seeing the change. However, I still have to work on having a better diet. I tend to eat large portions that are not healthy for
me, like two plates of white rice. I will continue to lead a healthier lifestyle and hopefully my siblings do the

Persuasive Essay On Exercise
Now Is the Time to Commit to Be Fit
Ashley J. Schroeder
Denver College of Nursing
Now Is the Time to Commit to Be Fit
Self–care is important for every person. Taking the time to do activities and engaging in behaviors that make one happy is vital to health. One of those
activities could be exercising, which has many health benefits that contribute to a person's overall health. There are obvious benefits that many people
consider when thinking about exercise, such as weight management, strengthening bones and muscles, as well as reducing the risk of developing
cardiovascular disease; however, there are other advantages that are not as obvious which can positively impact overall health. Some of these
advantages include decreasing depression, preventing metabolic disorders and some cancers, improving memory, and decreasing stress. It can
sometimes be a struggle for people to exercise on a daily basis due to time constraints, prior engagements, or work, but by dedicating some time every
week to getting in some form of exercise, the benefits of exercise can be achieved. Self–care by means of exercising is valuable because of the
advantages that come from engaging in it, which reveals that it should be integrated in the nursing practice by teaching patients about these benefits.
Depression and stress affect many people, and, in some, can be debilitating. People who are experiencing depression and stress often report reduced
energy levels, lack of motivation,

Persuasive Essay On Exercise Makes People
Did you know, many people all across Canada are overweight from lack of exercise? Everyone should exercise at least once everyday, it will keep you
happy and healthy.
Exercise makes people happier overall. They are more active. It makes people care more about other people. As well as that studies show that walking
for 35 minutes a day decreases depression symptoms.
Exercise also keeps people healthier. disease rates are shown to be lower. Exercising keeps heart rate up which prevents heart attacks. Everyone could
have a stunning lifestyle if only they would exercise.
By exercising you can lose lots of excess weight. Exercising once a day is proven to decrease weight. A recent study says that 10 minutes of vigorous
exercise can help

Essay on Exercise Addiction
Exercise is often thought of in a positive light. It is common belief in today's society that a healthy diet and a regular exercise routine will lead to a
long, healthy life. And in the simplest sense of the word, it will. It has been a tried and true method to control and lose weight, lift a person's mood,
boost energy, combat a variety of health conditions and diseases, promote better sleep patterns, and even increase libido. (Mayo Clinic, July 23,
2011). So with all of these being possible and probable benefits of working out, why would it possibly be anything other than good? Certainly,
something with so many benefits can't be a bad thing? However, we may overlook the fact that it is like any good thing; in excess it can...show more
content...
To begin with, they both access the same region of the brain. To clarify, this occurs only when an individual is addicted to exercise. Both addictions
to exercise and addictions to drugs access the brain's limbic system, which contains an essential "reward circuit". This reward circuit is what teaches
us to associate functions essential to life, such as eating, with a pleasurable feeling. The limbic system is also the emotional centre of the brain. This is
the same area that a person addicted to cocaine would be tapping into, which explains not only the altered emotional states of someone on cocaine, but
how an addiction would develop. All addictive drugs work by overloading the reward circuit with dopamine, a neurotransmitter present in the limbic
system. By overstimulation, the limbic system teaches the abuser to associate the drug use with pleasure, henceforth developing it into a necessary
behaviour like eating. (National Institute of Drug Abuse).
Exercise dependency can have similar effects, as it also works on the limbic system, otherwise a dependency would not develop. Exercise, however,
relies on the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus to release endorphins once glycogen stores are depleted. This could be why exercise dependence is
more prevalent in aerobic athletes such as runners or triathletes. Essentially, the endorphins work in the same way as

Health and Exercise Essay
People spend millions of dollars every year on drugs that they are convinced that will help you lose weight, grow hair, reduce stress, anxiety, and plenty
of other things. I wish I could have all of the money they have wasted on those products. What if they knew of something that would help them lose
weight, improve cardiovascular health, help control stress, help improve muscle, bone, and joint health, benefit diabetic problems, and could do many
other things to benefit their health? Exercise is something that is proven to help all of these things, but not a lot of people exercise on a regular basis.
This is something that you do not have to pay for, so what is stopping everyone from exercising? There are many positive effects of...show more
content...
Although if you're eating habits are unhealthy changing them would be a good idea. An average woman who exercises 3.5 days a week (176minutes)
will lose more significant amount of weight than some one who does not exercise at all. But you have to understand that when you are exercising,
you are also replacing fat with muscle and muscle weighs more than fat, but I know I would be happy if I didn't lose weight and replaced my fat with
muscle. Overweight but fit people generally have half of the death rate than people who are overweight and unfit. People who have trained for quite a
long time develop more effective mechanisms for burning fat and are capable to remain leaner.
It does not matter what your level of fitness is, it can always be improved with normal exercise no matter what your age, but you have to know that
some kinds of exercise are more effective for cardiovascular health than others. Any type of activity that works large groups of body muscles for
about twenty minutes increases cardiac output and metabolic rate. You should practice this at least three to five times a week for it to be effective
on the cardiovascular system. The heart will become larger and stronger as a result of exercising so it will be able to pump more blood though the
body. The resting heart rate is slower in people who exercise because the heart needs less effort to pump the blood. Being inactive is one of the major
risks for people with coronary artery

Essay on Exercise Program
Exercise Program
The purpose of the programme is to see how my fitness level now relates to my fitness level at the end of my programme, after I have trained and
done both skills and fitness activities in relation to my sport, netball. First of all I need to test my fitness at the moment I will do this by going various
tests, which I have stated below.
My fitness level at present is average. I can cope with the day to day demands of everyday life. During the week I:
Г Walk to and from school everyday which consists of a ВЅ mile walk which takes me about 10–15 minutes.
Г I do 3 PE lessons a week, 2 GCSE and 1 core lesson.
Г I go swimming every fortnight once in a week for up to 1–2 hours...show more content...
The multistage fitness test, tests the cardiovascular system as the heart and lungs need to keep supplying oxygen in the bloodstream to the body to
provide the energy needed to sustain the physical movement. This is important because without any cardiovascular endurance the game wouldn't
be played properly. The multistage fitness test is an easy way to find out a fitness level. A netball player such as my self should be on a level 9 and
above. If the player has high skill levels but has no cardiovascular endurance it will be no use to them as they won't be able to keep up with the
demands of the sport. For example a game lasts up to 40 minutes maximum; the times are different for each age group. Junior games last 10–12
minutes each way.(year 7) Senior games lasts 15 minutes each way (years 9/10) this is at school times, factors do effect how long a game lasts such
as travelling. For 16 years and older the game is played a bit more differently and to set rules: The intervals are 1 minute for each quarter, out of for
time the break lasts 3 minutes. The game usually lasts up to 40–45 minutes long. This is an example of progression each stage goes higher in netball so
the game is longer, and the rest periods are shorter as you become older this is because when we are younger we have a lower fitness level and cant
keep up with the demands of the sport when say the duration of the

Reflection Paper On Exercise
For the past 3 weeks, I have been working on improving my physical fitness by exercising at least 4 days a week, for 1 hour each time.
Incorporating exercise regimen in my daily life has always been something that I wanted to do since I begin my life as a student here at UNC. It's
has never been easy. Since I was a kid, I never had that natural thin, skinny physique. Everyone who saw me always said that, I will never be skin,
my body showed signs of growing into a woman with a thick figure. I knew that It will take time and dedication for me to keep myself at a stable
weight in order to stay healthy, and prevent any health complications in the future. When I lived in Africa, we had no car, so we walked
everywhere we needed to go, which kept me in shape. Once we moved to the United states, I played soccer in high school, and walked home from
school. But even though I walk on campus here in college, because I don't have a car, I realized that the amount of walks that I walk, is not enough
compared to the amount of time I spend seating down in class. Over the years, I have gained so much weight. I always talk about working out toward
getting skinnier and healthier, so that I can feel less tired, and feel better about myself, but starting the workout regimen and getting to the gym is
entirely another thing. Being in school all day, then going home, it's hard for me to get out of the house to go to the gym, instead, I will end up staying
in, and working on school work instead.

Exercise : How Exercise Improves Your Mood
Exercise is something that surrounds us daily. It may simply be a short walk into work or a cycling class that you participate in at your local gym.
Wither it is on the TV commercials or posters up in the workplace and school exercise is constantly being promoted. Exercise is very important to the
body to insure that the body functions properly. A properly functioning body is something that is extremely important to remember even as we age. A
very weak area in health care is promoting exercise in the elderly. According to the staff at Mayo Clinic, there are 7 important benefits of regular
exercise (2015). The first reason is that exercise improves your mood (Mayo Clinic, 2015). Are you are feeling down and need an emotional lift,
or have had a stressful day at work and need to blow off some steam? A small workout at the gym or a brisk walk at the park might be your answer.
Exercise "stimulates the brain to release chemicals to make you feel happier and more relaxed" (Mayo Clinic, 2015). Exercising leaves you feeling
better about yourself with increased boost in confidence (Mayo Clinic, 2015). Not only does exercising put you in a better mood, it also boosts your
energy (Mayo Clinic, 2015). Regular exercise improves you muscle strength and enhances your endurance (Mayo Clinic, 2015). This allows your
oxygen and nutrients to be delivered to your tissues; in return, helping your cardiovascular system work more proficiently (Mayo Clinic, 2015). This
helps the heart and lungs

Essay On Exercise As Treatment For Depression
Exercise as Treatment for Depression Jacob Gibson University of Alabama in Birmingham Exercise as Treatment for Depression Depression is a
prevalent severe medical disorder that adversely affects the way people feel, think, and act. According to Brosse, Sheets, Lett and Blumenthal (2002),
the term depression is used to describe an unease or dissatisfaction mood state, a condition that involves a group of symptoms or a clinical disorder.
Depression leads to a series of feelings of sadness or loss of interest in activities that were once appealing. Other symptoms include loss of appetite,
increased fatigue, sleeplessness, difficulty in thinking, concentrating, or making decisions, and suicidal thoughts. Depression can...show more content...
Evidence from studies indicates that negative self–evaluations among people including adults and adolescents play a role in the occurrence of major
depressive disorders (MDD). It is theorized that effective depression interventions work towards improving self–evaluations among patients. For
instance, particular self–evaluations include applying self–efficacy, positive thoughts on body image, and physical self–confidence (Brosse et al., 2002
& Palmer, 2005). The evidence suggests that improved self–evaluations may mediate antidepressant results of exercise. Exercise has been established
to have significant psychological effects on an individual's self–esteem, primarily those with depression. Self–esteem is related to body image
compared to any other characteristics of self. According to Doyne, Ossip–Klein, Bowman, Osborn, McDougall and Neimey (1987), as individuals
exercise regularly, they are most likely to acquire increased physical benefits such as weight loss, muscle strength, and increased respiratory fitness.
Such improvements in the physical features of an individual lead to positive personal perceptions and a boost in self–esteem. In a study conducted to
establish the effects of exercise on adolescents with depression, Carter, Guo, Turner, Morres, Khalil, Brighton and Callaghan (2015) found that after
completion of the study using aerobic exercises, the mood of 26 participants dropped and they showed signs of sadness. The reasons for the changed
emotions

Exercise Persuasive Speech
Attention Getter: Are you tired of being of gaining weight or just feeling sluggish all the time? Do you have health issues? Well exercising can give
you good health and psychological advantages.
Central Idea: I want to persuade my audience that when you decide to exercise it helps you majorly with your health and you life. With that being
said lack of exercise is harmful. Just do yourself and your body a favor and exercise.
[Transition] to body of speech: I want to let you know today that everyone here today needs to exercise. Even though everyone here knows that
exercise is good for you but in reality how many of you are actually getting physical?
Body
Main Point 1: Being inactive can cause health issues. Sub–point a.: Coronary...show more content...
Science shows that you do not need to do hard core exercise to reduce your risk of a early death. Even doing less that that 150 I mentioned earlier still
puts you at a lower risk of dying early. *A person being physically active for at least 7 hours a week have a 40% lower risk of dying early than those
who were active less than 30 minutes a week. (Division of Nutrition and Obesity, June, 2015)
[TRANSITION] into conclusion
If none of those health benefits impressed you, well keep in mind you will look great also.
CONCLUSION:
Attention Material: None of us want to die early or none of us want those unwanted pounds we put on.
Summary: Being inactive is not good for our health. *You want to avoid getting CAD and heart disease, and you want to live a long healthy life *It
doesn't take a lot of your time to exercise at least be active 30 minutes a day. *Being physical will increase your chance of living longer
Overview: We should all at least try and get into the habit of exercising. If you were to start exercising today remember it give us not just a better
physical state but mental as well. Living for a very long time is a great

Argumentative Essay On Physical Exercise
Engaging in physical exercise has many advantages and it benefits, not only to the physical health but as well as the mental health. Exercising
regularly helps to maintain a good health balance in the body, reducing stress and overcoming anxiety and depression in a person. It also activate the
chemicals in a person's brain to develop a better mood. This argumentative essay will demonstrate about how exercising helps and improve not only a
person's physical health but also mental health such as depression, anxiety and stress.
"Exercise" is a well known word among people all over the world. In fact it is popular among teenagers and adults that are trying to stay fit and
healthy. The use of the word "Exercise" is highly overrated because people tend to think that exercising keep them in shape and to lose weights.
However, what they do not realised is that exercising also improve one's mental health including depression,anxiety and stress that most people are
facing these days. Exercising promote better mood control. Research shows that exercise put long–term depression at ease (Weir, 2011). Based on the
evidences of an experiment, studies shows that James Blumenthal, PhD, a clinical psychologist has investigated, together with his colleagues upon
some adults with major depressive disorders (Weir, 2011). According to Weir (2011) Blumenthal conducted a mood
–exercise connection experiments
and found out that "Exercise seems not only important for treating depression, but also in preventing relapse". The release of chemicals such as
endorphins and serotonin from exercising increases the mood (Health Direct Australia, 2016). In the year 2006, Otto and his colleagues analysed 11
studies examining the effects of exercise on mental health. It was determined that exercising could be a strong influence for clinical depression (Clinical
Psychology: Science and Practice, 2006, as cited in Weir, 2011). From this, it is concluded that clinicians should think carefully about adding exercise
to the treatment plans for their depressed patients (Weir, 2011).
Smits (Co–director) and Otto (Co–writer) of Anxiety and Research and Treatment Program have reasoned that regular exercise help people who are
exposed to anxiety

Essay about Exercise and Depression
"Healthy body, healthy mind"
Can exercise help with depression?
STUDENT ID: 8401122
Abstract
This report aims to determine the efficacy and benefits of exercise in the management of depression, which is classified by the World Health
Organisation as a mood disorder. In order to place exercise therapy into context, conventional methods for treating clinical depression are discussed. A
personal meta–analysis is then undertaken, summarising the findings of studies that have explored the clinical significance of physical exercise as an
intervention in treating depression. The advantages and disadvantages of such an intervention are described, and...show more content...
However, the results of many clinical trials promulgate its inefficacy and unreliability, with high relapse rates and a dependence on therapist
competence.13
As the literature remains inconclusive as to the relation between current major treatment modalities and depressive disorder, and given the extremities
of the potential dangers of antidepressant medications, it is apparent that there is a need to develop new interventions, which show greater efficacy,
safety, and acceptability.
The Efficacy of Exercise
General recommendations are now widely accepted as to the general advantages of exercise in terms of physical health, such as its ability to prevent
weight gain, coronary heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and osteoporosis.14 It appears that health promotion schemes have shied away from
extolling exercise's psychological benefits. After all, there is no government campaign, no public policy initiative, which pontificates exercise on
account of a concern for mental wellbeing. Although many people would identify that exercise has a positive influence on mood state, it appears that,
generally speaking, this is regarded as a positive correlation, rather than a causal relationship. The 'healthy body, healthy mind' concept is thus, for
many, a heuristic utopia, rather than a scientifically proven

Being fit can give you immediate benefit of improved vigour, and it may offer long–term benefits as well.
# Gain More Energy. As you exercise regularly, your entire body becomes more efficient. Your heart begins to pump more blood with each beat and to
beat fewer times each minute. Your body develops the ability to make more oxygen available to your cells. That means more energy– greater
productivity, more stamina, and less fatigue.
# Feel Good. Exercise makes you feel good, both physically and mentally. It gives you a psychological lift and strengthens your sense of
accomplishment. The discipline associated with exercise also makes you feel good about yourself: "I feel good that I walked today," or "When I run, I
feel I have control over one area of my life."
# Look Good. Regular exercise plays an important role in helping to reduce body fat and weight and to develop muscle. Fitness can give you a
better–looking, better–proportioned body: a flatter abdomen, firmer thighs, and slimmer hips.
# Feel Younger. Increasing your activity level can reverse or slow the changes that many people think are simply the unavoidable results of aging. In
reality, lack of exercise usually reduces flexibility, strength, blood vessel elasticity, and lung functions; slows reaction time and metabolism; and
increases body fat between ages 30 and 60.
# Build A StrongerHeart. Regular exercise may help reduce or modify some of the risk factors associated with heart disease, such as high

The Effects Of Exercise On Mental Health Essay

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The Effects Of Exercise On Mental Health Essay