Exercise is good for your physical health? Sure. But for your mental health?

In 2016, a study of 23 clinical trials showed that exercise is an effective treatment for depression, in some cases as effective as medication.

Now new research is providing clues to how exactly exercise changes the structure of your brain. It may be that working out “buffs up the brain as well as the body.” In 2021, researchers identified promising new possibilities for further study. Since exercise triggers the release of a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and people with depression have lower levels of BDNF, are exercise-increased levels of BDNF the key to alleviating depressive symptoms?

Other studies have focused on the positive effects of exercise on anxiety, PTSD, and even early signs of schizophrenia. Exercise has been shown to affect learning, the body’s response to stress and inflammation, and more. Further, physical activity helps alter people’s thought patterns, boosts mood, and provides a sense of accomplishment, all with positive effects on mental health. Doing something – anything – even getting up and moving around instead of sitting for long stretches can make a difference. This research finding may be especially encouraging to people experiencing depression and struggling with low motivation.

Learn more about the fascinating new research into the mind-body connection here:

How Exercise Boosts the Brain and Improves Mental Health

Holmes, Bob. “’How Exercise Boosts the Brain and Improves Mental Health.” Smithsonian Magazine.com, 9 Feb 2022, www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/how-exercise-boosts-the-brain-and-improves-mental-health-180979511/.