ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — The physical changes people experience after committing to routine physical activity are visible to the naked eye. After making such a commitment, particularly if one is accustomed to a sedentary lifestyle, people may shed a noticeable amount of weight, move more quickly and even appear younger, a change that is perhaps related to the positive effects exercise has on sleep.

Less noticeable but no less advantageous are the mental health benefits associated with routine exercise. According to the Mental Health Foundation, physical activity releases chemicals in the brain that positively affect mood, thus making exercise a tool anyone can utilize to improve their mental health.

As individuals ponder the benefits of physical activity, they can keep the following ways exercise affects mental health in mind:

Exercise and stress reduction

A 2022 Gallup poll found that 40 percent of adults worldwide experienced a lot of stress. The poll asked adults in 142 countries and areas, which underscores the significance of stress as a legitimate global health concern. The MHF notes that the most common physical signs of stress include difficulty sleeping, sweating and loss of appetite, symptoms that are triggered by a flood of the stress hormones adrenaline and noradrenaline released in the body. Those hormones increase blood pressure and heart rate. Exercise can help to alleviate stress, and the MHF notes that adults who are highly active have been found to have lower rates of stress than those who live more sedentary lifestyles.

Exercise and self-esteem

A 2022 study published in The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness compared 352 participants between the ages of 20 and 40 who regularly exercised at least two days per week for the previous six months with 350 similarly aged sedentary individuals. The study assessed various characteristics of each group and researchers ultimately concluded that those who exercised had higher levels of self-esteem than those who did not. As a result, the authors behind the study recommended exercise as a preferred method to increase self-esteem.

Exercise and depression

A systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized control trials found that exercise is an effective treatment for depression. That review and analysis, published in the peer-reviewed medical journal The BMJ in 2024, reviewed 218 unique studies involving more than 14,000 participants. Walking, jogging, yoga, and strength training were found to be especially effective at treating depression, which the World Health Organization estimates affects about 280 million people worldwide.

The physical benefits of routine physical activity may be most noticeable. However, regular exercise also has a profound effect on individuals’ mental health.

To learn more about getting your regular exercise routine started, visit YogaSix Asheville at www.yogasix.com/location/asheville or 1829 Hendersonville Road.