Exercise for mental health

Exercise is about more than keeping in shape. It also can help with your emotional and mental health. Exercise can help you improve your self-esteem, keep your mind off problems, and give you a sense of control. In general, people who are fit have less anxiety, depression, and stress than people who are not active.¹

Be safe while you exercise

• See a doctor before starting to exercise.
• Always begin an exercise program slowly, and gradually increase how much you exercise.
• Stop exercising if you have severe pain, especially chest pain, or severe problems breathing. Talk to your doctor about these symptoms.

Tips for your exercise program

• Don't overdo it. Start with simple exercises, such as walking, bicycling, swimming, or jogging.
• Warm up your muscles for about 5 minutes before you start exercising. To do this, you can walk, slowly move your arms and legs, or do simple muscle stretches.
• Use the talk-sing test to see whether you're exercising at the right pace.
  • If you can talk during exercise, you're doing fine.
  • If you can sing during exercise, you can exercise a little faster or harder.
  • If you are not able to talk, you're probably exercising too hard. Slow down a bit.
• Cool down for 5 to 10 minutes after you exercise. It's okay to do some stretching exercises during cool down.
• Drink water before, during, and after exercise.
• Don't exercise 2 to 3 hours before bedtime. This might make it hard to fall asleep.
• You can make daily activities part of your exercise program. You can:
  • Walk to work or to do errands.
  • Push a lawn mower, rake leaves, or shovel snow.
  • Vacuum or sweep.
  • Play actively with your children or walk the dog.

Gradually increase your activity. It takes time to develop a full exercise program. Find a pace that is comfortable.

Experts advise doing either of these things to get and stay healthy:²

• Do moderate activity for at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week or more. Moderate activity is equal to a brisk walk, cycling about 10 to 12 miles per hour (mph), sailing, or shooting hoops. You notice your heart beating faster with this kind of activity.
• Do vigorous activity for at least 20 minutes a day, 3 days a week or more. Vigorous activity is equal to jogging, cycling at least 12 mph, cross-country skiing, or playing a basketball game. You breathe rapidly and your heart beats much faster with this kind of activity.

Being active in several chunks of 10 minutes or more throughout the day can count towards the above recommendations. You can choose to do one or both types of activity.

If you have problems exercising on your own, ask someone to exercise with you or join an exercise group or health club.

Citations

1. Pratt M (2004). Physical activity. In L Goldman, D Ausiello, eds., Cecil Textbook of Medicine, 22nd ed., vol. 1, pp. 54–57. Philadelphia: Saunders.

2. Haskell WL, et al. (2007). Physical activity and public health: Updated recommendation for adults from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association. Circulation, 116(9): 1081–1093.