Why Is Exercise So Good for Mental Health? Thank ‘Hope Molecules’

We’ve all heard the admonition that exercise is ‘good’ for you. Research has shown it boosts physical and mental health. But why, exactly, is that so? According to an opinion article in The Guardian written by the chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh, “what we have long suspected is now scientific fact: there’s a magical chemical connection between mood, strength, and longevity.”

Why does exercise make us feel good? It’s science at work in your cells.

Over the past decade, research has shown a clear scientific basis on the cellular level. According to The Guardian, “when muscles contract, they secrete chemicals into the bloodstream,” including “myokines, which have been referred to as “hope molecules.” When these tiny proteins make their way to the brain, crossing the blood-brain barrier, they act as an antidepressant – improving our mood, our ability to learn, and more – in a phenomenon known as “muscle-brain cross-talk.” Myokines also help reduce inflammation, improve metabolism, and enable stronger muscles.

Myokines aren’t the only chemicals released when we exercise. Additional mood-boosting neurotransmitters such as dopamine, noradrenaline (or norepinephrine) and serotonin are released as well. Dopamine has been called the pathway to pleasure. Noradrenaline (or norepinephrine) affects your mood, energy, and more. And serotonin is a “natural mood booster,” which can stave off depression.

The boost physical activity has on mental health has been shown to be acutely true for children and young people. In a large study from Norway, physically actively teenagers involved in sports had higher life satisfaction and self-esteem. The effect was particularly pronounced among girls who were high school seniors. The effect carried over to university students as well, where inactivity was associated with poor mental health, self-harm, and suicide attempts.

Another study of 40,000 children in the United States showed that over an hour a day of screen time “was associated with less curiosity, lower self-control, less emotional stability and lower psychological wellbeing.” Particularly, 14- to 17-year-olds who used screens throughout the day had double the likelihood of being diagnosed with depression.

So to feel better, why not put those ‘hope molecules’ to work on your behalf, give it a shot, and get up and move?

Read the full article here.

Sridhar, Devi. “The secret to why exercise is so good for mental health? ‘Hope molecules.'” The Guardian, 4 May 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/may/04/exercise-mental-health-hope-molecules-mood-strength.

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