Exercise might aid your mental health
October is the month of World Mental Health Day, an occasion to acknowledge the reality that a mental health problem exists in South Africa - and the world.
According to a report published in a national publication in 2014, 17 million South Africans are dealing with mental health problems, including substance abuse and depression.
Zane Wilson, director of the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag) notes that “mental health is not given the priority it deserves in South Africa and there is very little research into mental health and service conditions.
“The research that does exist often stems from pharmaceutical companies promising a quick fix in the form of a pill,” said Wilson.
“But as modern society extols the benefits of antidepressants, an alternate remedy continues to be overlooked. Simple exercise.
“Exercise releases endorphins: those natural chemicals that promote feelings of goodwill. The feeling isn’t permanent, of course.
“If you miss a day at the gym you’re likely to return to your slump. But clinical psychologist James Blumenthal claims there’s evidence to suggest that regular exercise alleviates depression.”
Ivana Buchanan, national group fitness manager of Zone Fitness, said the best part about exercise is that it natural.
“Whether it’s temporary feelings of anxiety and stress or chemical imbalances that lead to depression and ADHD, people forget that exercise is a great stress reliever that, with repetition, can promote long-term happiness,” said Buchanan.
A 2006 report in the National Centre for Biotechnology Information found that ”aerobic exercises, including jogging, swimming, cycling, walking, gardening, and dancing, have been proved to reduce anxiety and depression”.
The American publication The Atlantic chronicled the work of Madhukar Trivedi, a professor of psychiatry in Dallas.
Trivedi’s game plan? Three to five sessions of exercise a week; 45-60 minutes each, with the patient reaching 50-85 percent of their maximum heart rate.
Buchanan said in South Africa, it’s crucial that exercise as a healthy complement to a balanced lifestyle is promoted.
“Exercise is a safe, healthy way of promoting your overall well-being,” Buchanan concluded..
