Tag: exercise

Why even a little bit of exercise can go a long way to helping your mental health

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During the pandemic, Nikola Sowry made a decision that helped her become happier and healthier.

After feeling challenged and disconnected during recurring lockdowns, the 29-year-old decided to try out a community football team in Melbourne’s inner suburbs. 

“Finding footy and this club genuinely changed my life,” she said.

Before football, Nikola struggled to find exercise that suited her.

Nikola at pre-season training with the South Melbourne Districts Football Club. (ABC News: Kate Ashton)

While she never had a diagnosed mental health condition, she credits the South Melbourne Districts team with transforming her physical and mental health.

“I’m just such a happier, healthy version of myself by being here,” she said.

What Nikola experienced is backed by research. 

The link between mental health and physical activity is strong enough that studies are showing exercise can be used on its own as a treatment for mild to moderate depression or anxiety. 

A woman in a red footy jumper handballs a yellow football.

Nikola says she always leaves footy training with a better mindset. (ABC News: Kate Ashton)

Physical activity has also been shown to prevent the onset of common mental health conditions in the first place.

With the latest figures pointing to declining mental wellbeing and an alarming rise in mental illness, particularly among younger Australians, experts say increasing the use of exercise for mental health should be part of the solution.

Exercise can change the brain, researchers say

Last year, a group of Australian researchers published a review summarising what we know about the effects of physical activity on symptoms of depression, anxiety and mental distress in adults.

The scope of the study was large, and looked at previous reviews that captured the results of more than 1,000 trials involving 128,000 participants. It was peer-reviewed and published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

“What we found was that basically any type of exercise is effective for improving our mental health,” said University of South Australia researcher Ben Singh.

A bearded man in a blue collared shirt sits on a park bench, with a serious expression.

Ben Singh says there’s strong evidence for using physical activity to improve and treat mental health conditions. (ABC News: Brant Cumming)

The review found that using physical activity to treat mild to moderate depression and anxiety was more effective than conventional treatments like therapy.

“And on average, we found that it was about 1.5 times more effective than medications,” Dr Singh said.

Exercise has also been shown to prevent the onset of mental disorders like depression. 

“There is a lot of strong evidence to show that people who are regularly active over a long period of time have a lower rate of being diagnosed with a mental health condition,” Dr Singh said.

Female footballer players high five each other on an oval at training

The social element of exercise is believed to help protect against anxiety and depression. 

Part of this is due to the sense of community and achievement physical activity can provide, the research suggests.

Exercise has also been shown to trigger structural and biological effects on the brain.

While there’s still more to learn, exercise has been proven to help reduce brain inflammation, promote the growth of neurons and trigger the release of mood-boosting chemical messengers like serotonin.

And even a small amount of physical activity can help. 

From tai chi to swimming, all exercise can bring benefits

Dr Singh and his co-authors found all kinds of physical activity could help relieve the symptoms of depression and anxiety, or distress.

That included cardio such as walking, cycling, swimming, running or playing a team sport. 

A group of walkers walk up a dirt hill during a parkrun event.

Even low-intensity exercise like walking can improve mental wellbeing. (Supplied: parkrun)

Strength and resistance training was found to have the biggest impact on symptoms of depression.

Mind-body exercises like tai chi and yoga were most effective at reducing anxiety and were shown to help with symptoms of depression too, the study found.

Dr Singh said it was important people chose the type of exercise that suited them. 

In general, the review found the more vigorous the exercise was, the bigger the improvement in mental wellbeing.

“But what was important is we found that also low-intensity exercise — so just getting outdoors for a leisurely stroll — is still extremely beneficial,” he said.

A checklist graphic for the use of exercise for mental health concerns. 

Key advice on how to use exercise for mental health concerns. (ABC News: Magie Khameneh)

The national physical activity guidelines recommend adults aged 18 to 64 should aim to be active on most days, if not every day. The advice is to aim for 2.5 to 5 hours of moderate intensity physical activity and between 1.25 and 2.5 hours of vigorous physical activity a week.

For some people, that might sound like a lot.

But Dr Singh’s research found even those doing less than 2.5 hours of physical activity per week experienced mental health benefits.

A young woman wearing a red footy jumpy braces herself to take a mark.

Nikola had never played Aussie Rules before joining a community footy team. (ABC News: Kate Ashton)

Exercise should be used more often for mental health conditions, researcher says

Jodie Sheehy, a PhD candidate with Melbourne’s Victoria University, thinks exercise should be used more often to treat mental health conditions and promote mental wellbeing. 

Her current project is investigating how to encourage general practitioners to prescribe exercise specifically for mental health concerns.

“There’s actually been a number of studies that look at GPs prescribing physical activity for mental health, and they really don’t,” she said.

A curly-haired woman wearing a blank singlet sits in a gym, surrounded by weights.

Jodie Sheehy says more Australians could benefit from using exercise to address mental health concerns. (ABC News: Darryl Torpy)

“Some recommend it, but they seldom prescribe it.”

She said using physical exercise to treat mental health concerns was not a big part of the GP training curriculum, despite the fact most people saw their doctor more than any other mental health professional.

“What I would like to see happen is for there to be something specific, so that a GP can actually prescribe the exercise — the type, the dose and the frequency,” she said.

Challenges for using exercise in mental health treatment

Caroline Johnson is a Melbourne GP who delivers mental health training to doctors wanting to become general practitioners. 

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners said exercise was included in medical school curriculum on mental health. The college also produces resources for GPs on this topic.

Dr Johnson admitted it was a small mention in a “jam-packed” curriculum. 

“But most GPs know that exercise is good for depression. It’s more about how do you deliver that message to the person in a way that will actually help them engage with it,” she said.

An older woman wearing a red top and glasses is pictured in her GP consulting room. She is smiling.

Caroline Johnson says a GP can help a patient consider what type of exercise might work for them. (ABC News: Darryl Torpy)

She said the more pressing issue was whether patients had the time, money or ability to actually do it.

“Depression really does affect your sense of self — you lose motivation, you lose interest in doing things and sometimes you even lose a belief that you’re worth working on,” Dr Johnson said.

She said it was easy to portray exercise as free and easy, but that was certainly not the case for people of different abilities or those who were time-poor. 

“If you’ve got low income, or you’re not in an urban environment where walking is easy to do, where there’s not parklands, those kinds of things, then that’s a much harder thing for you to change,” she said.

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For Heart’s Sake: Lifestyle Changes I Had to Make

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By Bouba Diemé as told to Keri Wiginton

I started to get coughs and chest pain that seemed to come out of nowhere. Exercise got a lot harder. I was 26 and ran a fitness boot camp, so I was relatively fit. But one day, I couldn’t keep up with the group during a warm-up run.

That was 2012, when I found out that I have dilated cardiomyopathy. That means my heart is bigger than normal and doesn’t pump blood very well. That led to advanced congestive heart failure. Later on, my doctor told me my heart condition — left ventricular non-compaction cardiomyopathy (LVNC) — is congenital.

My diagnosis came as a shock. But my mindset shifted when I learned I was born with a heart problem. I hadn’t been living with heart disease for 3 years. I’d been living with it my whole life. That’s when I stopped fighting my condition and learned to embrace it.

Here’s how.

Finding My Calm

I needed to adjust to my medication, of course. But my first real challenge was mental. I was young. I had big plans and ideas. And my diagnosis felt like I was facing death.

Independence comes naturally to me, so I tried to regroup within myself. I’d go quiet when I got stressed or tired. I had to learn to share what was going on, which was a challenge. I was used to being the one who helped others. Sometimes I didn’t need anyone to do anything for me. But it was important that my family or others knew why I needed space or a break.

I also had to learn how to say no to myself. It’s OK to be in my head every now and then. But there was a time when I needed to force myself to get out of bed, to socialize, to make friends, and to be a part of the community. In time, I realized those things made me happier.

My two therapists have also been a big help. I see a social worker from the hospital, who’s taught me how to reframe life with a chronic illness. And I meet with a Black counselor, who’s helped me from a cultural standpoint.

I’m also Muslim, and I try to pray once a day. On top of that, I do a lot of guided meditations. I’ll do a session in the morning and before I go to sleep at night. I’ll take a moment in the middle of the day if I need to.

My goal is to keep my stress levels low, which is why I mediate often. But when I do get overwhelmed, the tools and habits I’ve learned — through therapy and meditation — come naturally. It’s almost a reflex.

A New Exercise Routine

Early on, I still wanted to do things like play soccer with my friends. But then I’d be tired for the rest of the day. One of my biggest symptoms was low energy, so this up and down wasn’t working. But I wanted to stay as physically fit as possible. And not just for my body. Exercise was, and still is, a good way to ease stress and decompress.

I learned to work out safely with a personal trainer. They taught me how to exercise in a more stable way. For example, I started to build muscle by doing more reps with light weights, instead of heavy lifting. In my case, this kind of approach helped. My energy started coming back.

Here’s what my physical activity looks like these days: 

I exercise regularly. I try to do 30 to 60 minutes of strength training twice a week. And I aim for 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day. But I mix up my aerobic activity up, so I don’t get bored.

For cardio, I might: 

  • Walk along the river
  • Ride my bike in or outdoors
  • Pace around my basement
  • Use the treadmill in my house — my least favorite

I measure and track my activity. This helps me meet my goals and stay within my physical limits. I use a wearable fitness tracker. But you could use your phone.

I set realistic goals. When I was very sick, it didn’t make sense to walk 30 minutes a day. Instead, I’d walk up and down the stairs. Then I’d rest. I needed to give my body time to heal. As I got better, I added more activity — maybe I’d load the dishwasher and go up and down the stairs a few times.

I use my cardiac rehab lessons. I learned my safety zones. And one day, the physical therapist pointed out that I hold my breath when I do certain exercises. Those are the kinds of things I needed to be more mindful about, and coaching helped.

I do group activities. I challenge myself with martial arts. We meet twice a week. The class helps me understand my stamina and helps my flexibility.

Nutrition Changes

I never drank alcohol or smoked. And I’m not big on juice, soda, or caffeine. But I wanted to be as healthy as possible. I reached out to a nutritionist to find the best way to approach my condition.

The first thing I learned was to go easy on the salt. Luckily, that wasn’t hard for me. I didn’t go for a low-salt diet, but I stopped adding extra sodium to my food. And I tried to minimize how much I ate out.

Now, I get medical meals delivered weekly. I also keep other essentials stocked. That includes lots of fruits and vegetables, along with eggs, oatmeal or muesli, or heart-healthy ingredients for a sandwich. And I don’t skip meals because I don’t want to get too hungry. For starters, that’s when you can’t think clearly. But that’s also when you end up eating whatever you can find.

How much water I drink is also important. I measure it out. Everyone is different, but my limit is about 84 ounces a day. During hot days, my health care team says I should drink more. I might go up to about 105 ounces a day.

I stick with my healthy diet as much as possible, and I avoid added sugar or salt most of the time. That leaves me with some space for the less healthy stuff — fast food, chocolate, cake — and I don’t worry too much when I splurge.  

Going Forward

There was a time when I wasn’t sure what caused my heart problems. I felt guilty that maybe I’d done something wrong. But my heart muscle never really formed the right way. It’s not possible for me to get physically better. I’m still on the list for a heart transplant. But right now, I’m living with a left ventricular assist device (LVAD).

Along with my LVAD, my lifestyle changes have boosted my energy and mood. When I feel good — mentally, physically, and spiritually — I can keep up with my kids and be a better husband and brother.

I also have bi-weekly calls with people in the heart disease community. We talk about what it’s like to personally live with a heart condition or to have family members or friends who do. Sometimes there are tears. But there’s also laughter and even singing. Those moments remind us that we’re more than patients. We’re here to help each other heal.

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#Hearts #Sake #Lifestyle

Dead Man Walking? Smartphone Data May Predict Mortality Risk

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Nov. 3, 2022 — Maybe you’re on a leisurely neighborhood stroll or roaming the aisles of a grocery store. Chances are, your smartphone’s along for the trip, too — perhaps as a podcast player or a digital security blanket. 

But what if that phone could gather data from your everyday cardio activities to predict how long you’ll live?

There may not be an app for that just yet, but researchers from the University of Illinois laid the groundwork for the possibility in a study published recently in the journal PLOS Digital Health.

“It’s well known that people [who] move more — and move more vigorously — live longer,” says Bruce Schatz, PhD, an expert in medical informatics at the University of Illinois and a co-author of the study. “We ended up trying to see what you could tell from walking motion that had some medical significance.”

Schatz and his colleagues pulled data from more than 100,000 adults ages 45-79 in the UK Biobank, a biomedical database in the United Kingdom. Participants wore wrist sensors around the clock for a week while they went about their daily routines, and researchers reviewed data from 12 consecutive, 30-second walking intervals for each study participant.

The researchers analyzed participants’ walking intensity and used it to predict their risk of death every year over a 5-year period. 

Because the data was collected from 2013 to 2015, the researchers were able to check the accuracy of estimates against death records. The team’s predictions closely matched participants’ actual mortality, although the model was slightly more accurate for the earlier years than at the 5-year mark. 

“It’s not giving you, personally, ‘You have 5 minutes to live,’” Schatz says. Rather, “What’s the likelihood that you’ll die in 5 years, or in 2 years?”

However, if an app capable of predicting your death date becomes available, Larry Hernandez, of San Antonio, TX, will be ready to try it. The 42-year-old is a private health insurance advisor, and such technology could be an incentive for his clients to improve their fitness, he says. 

But Hernandez is also familiar with tracking his own metrics. He’s lost 60 pounds since beginning a running regimen in 2015 and continues to log a 5K daily on his Apple Watch. 

If “today’s activities or yesterday’s activities actually got me another, extra year of life,” Hernandez says, “that’d be awesome.”

Stepping Toward Universal Health Care

The wrist devices worn by participants had accelerometers, which are built into even the cheapest of smartphones. These motion sensors are key to making health information accessible to the masses, Schatz says.

Smartwatches and other wearable fitness trackers are becoming increasingly popular — about 1 in 5 U.S. adults regularly wear them, according to a 2019 Pew Research Center survey — but aren’t affordable for everyone. However, 97% of Americans own a cellphone and 85% own a smartphone, according to a 2021 estimate from Pew.

The practical possibilities of using the formula created by Schatz and his colleagues are vast. A hospital system, for example, could potentially monitor most of its patients at once through their smartphones, and be alerted to changes in their walking patterns that may indicate a medical problem — all without disrupting patients’ lives.

“It’s the population screening that’s significant. It’s the catching things early when you can still do something,” Schatz says. “There’s a real opportunity here to do something for large numbers of people.”

Vienna Williams, MPH, sees an opportunity for employers. As director of the International WELL Building Institute in New York City, she helps companies from Hilton to Uber prioritize employees’ well-being.

“Wearables and sensors, they help us to really understand modifiable behavior, and that’s where we have the opportunity to intervene,” Williams says, noting the institute already uses such technology to help clients understand employee health trends. “The most important question that these things help us answer is, where do we have room to change our behavior in ways that we know help our health in the long term?”

An app that could predict likelihood of death could also help eliminate health disparities simply by being accessible to everyone with a smartphone, regardless of socioeconomic status. Even in countries with emerging economies, such as Brazil and Indonesia, a median 45% of people own a smartphone, according to a 2018 Pew Research Center survey.  

“The benefits of being physically active are not disputable,” says Jan Carney, MD, associate dean for public health and health policy at the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine in Burlington. “But the rates of physical activity among the population [are] uneven.”

The work of Schatz and his colleagues contributes to the goal of health equity, Carney says.

“Making such a simple, practical technology, you can have a lot of people in a given community know what their own activity levels are,” she says.

Future studies should be more racially and ethnically diverse, Schatz says. Although study participants reflected the U.K. population, the majority were white. Schatz’s team plans to continue its research through the National Institutes of Health’s All of Us Research Program, which aims to enroll more than 1 million people.



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