Exercise for disability – mental health

exercise mental healthMental health is a major issue for many Australians. In fact, it’s estimated that almost half of the population will experience a mental health condition in their lifetime. In any one year, around 1 million Australian adults have depression, and over 2 million have anxiety.

Regular exercise can be an effective way to relieve mild to moderate anxiety and some forms of depression. Exercise is often a neglected strategy in depression/anxiety management. Many studies have shown that people who exercise regularly experience reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety compared to those who do not exercise regularly

Improving Mental Health

Regular exercise can help ease anxiety and depression in a variety of ways including:

  • Releasing endorphins to improve mood
  • Increasing body temperature which can have a calming effect
  • Improved self-esteem and self-confidence
  • Distraction from the cycle of negative thoughts
  • Increased social interaction and decreased feelings of loneliness
  • Healthy coping strategy for stress

Regular exercise can be an effective treatment by itself or alongside other treatments like medication or psychological therapies, depending on the type and severity of the condition.

Read about some of our successful clients who have struggled with mental health issues like Jessica Lewis who has overcome her social anxiety, and Deb Ragatz using exercise to manage depression.

 

Exercise does not need to be extremely vigorous to be helpful – even a brisk walk can be beneficial. Both aerobic exercise and strength training have been found to be helpful in treating anxiety and depression. For people who are very inactive, health benefits can be gained by becoming slightly more active. A little activity is better than none at all, and more is better than a little.

The recommendation is for all Australians to achieve 30 minutes of exercise every day.

Other Health benefits

In addition to being helpful for managing mental health, regular exercise has numerous physical health benefits including

  • Maintaining a healthy body weight
  • Improved quality of sleep
  • Increased bone density
  • Improved muscle strength
  • Better energy levels
  • Increased lung capacity
  • Increased endurance and stamina

NDIS registered providerI support NDIS rectangle

Working with a Fitness Enhancement Personal Trainer can help with some of the common issues that prevent people from getting started with exercise. We can come to you in the comfort and privacy of your own home, or in one of our 100% private Training Studios. Through the NDIA we are a registered NDIS provider so we can provide eligible participants with government-funded Personal Training