The influence of physical activity on mental well-being
- PMID: 10610081
- DOI: 10.1017/s1368980099000567
The influence of physical activity on mental well-being
Abstract
Objective: The case for exercise and health has primarily been made on its impact on diseases such coronary heart disease, obesity and diabetes. However, there is a very high cost attributed to mental disorders and illness and in the last 15 years there has been increasing research into the role of exercise a) in the treatment of mental health, and b) in improving mental well-being in the general population. There are now several hundred studies and over 30 narrative or meta-analytic reviews of research in this field. These have summarised the potential for exercise as a therapy for clinical or subclinical depression or anxiety, and the use of physical activity as a means of upgrading life quality through enhanced self-esteem, improved mood states, reduced state and trait anxiety, resilience to stress, or improved sleep. The purpose of this paper is to a) provide an updated view of this literature within the context of public health promotion and b) investigate evidence for physical activity and dietary interactions affecting mental well-being.
Design: Narrative review and summary.
Conclusions: Sufficient evidence now exists for the effectiveness of exercise in the treatment of clinical depression. Additionally, exercise has a moderate reducing effect on state and trait anxiety and can improve physical self-perceptions and in some cases global self-esteem. Also there is now good evidence that aerobic and resistance exercise enhances mood states, and weaker evidence that exercise can improve cognitive function (primarily assessed by reaction time) in older adults. Conversely, there is little evidence to suggest that exercise addiction is identifiable in no more than a very small percentage of exercisers. Together, this body of research suggests that moderate regular exercise should be considered as a viable means of treating depression and anxiety and improving mental well-being in the general public.
Similar articles
-
Physical activity and mental health in India: A narrative review.Int J Soc Psychiatry. 2019 Nov;65(7-8):656-667. doi: 10.1177/0020764019871314. Int J Soc Psychiatry. 2019. PMID: 31478452 Review.
-
The efficacy of exercise referral as an intervention for Irish male prisoners presenting with mental health symptoms.Int J Prison Health. 2018 Jun 11;14(2):109-123. doi: 10.1108/IJPH-12-2016-0073. Int J Prison Health. 2018. PMID: 29869583
-
Exercise therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016 Dec 20;12(12):CD003200. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD003200.pub6. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016. Update in: Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017 Apr 25;4:CD003200. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD003200.pub7. PMID: 27995604 Free PMC article. Updated. Review.
-
Exercise therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015 Feb 10;(2):CD003200. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD003200.pub3. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015. Update in: Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016 Feb 07;2:CD003200. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD003200.pub4. PMID: 25674924 Updated. Review.
-
[Physical activity for mental health].Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen. 2000 Oct 20;120(25):3054-6. Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen. 2000. PMID: 11109397 Review. Norwegian.
Cited by
-
Two-and-a-Half-Year Follow-Up Study with Freedom on Water through Stand-Up Paddling: Exploring Experiences in Blue Spaces and Their Long-Term Impact on Mental Well-Being.Healthcare (Basel). 2024 May 13;12(10):1004. doi: 10.3390/healthcare12101004. Healthcare (Basel). 2024. PMID: 38786414 Free PMC article.
-
The Nexus of Training Duration, Body Image, Nutritional Practices, and Mental Health: Insights from a Strength Training Cohort.Behav Sci (Basel). 2024 Mar 23;14(4):267. doi: 10.3390/bs14040267. Behav Sci (Basel). 2024. PMID: 38667063 Free PMC article.
-
Effectiveness of Group Physical Exercise in Treating Major Depressive Disorder: An Analysis of Secondary Data from an Aborted Randomized Trial.Behav Sci (Basel). 2024 Mar 8;14(3):219. doi: 10.3390/bs14030219. Behav Sci (Basel). 2024. PMID: 38540522 Free PMC article.
-
Total and temporal patterning of physical activity in adolescents and associations with mental wellbeing.Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2024 Jan 8;21(1):5. doi: 10.1186/s12966-023-01553-8. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2024. PMID: 38191365 Free PMC article.
-
Higher physical activity level and perceived social support is associated with less psychological distress in people with anxiety.PeerJ. 2023 Nov 2;11:e16000. doi: 10.7717/peerj.16000. eCollection 2023. PeerJ. 2023. PMID: 37933255 Free PMC article.
Publication types
MeSH terms
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Other Literature Sources
Medical