I have always believed exercise is a key not only to physical health but to peace of mind. Many times in the old days I unleashed my anger and frustration on a punchbag rather than taking it out on a comrade or even a policeman. Exercise dissipates tension, and tension is the enemy of serenity. I found that I worked better and thought more clearly when I was in good physical condition, and so training became one of the inflexible disciplines of my life. In prison, having an outlet for my frustrations was absolutely essential.

— Nelson Mandela from Long Walk to Freedom, 1994

The pandemic has been brutal, affecting not only lives but also seeping into our minds and taking root. Many have been inflicted with mental disorders, such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, to name only a few. Having survived Covid, or the pain of losing one’s dear one to the pandemic, it is only human to falter on one’s mental equilibrium

I highly recommend seeking professional help. While cognitive behavioural therapy and a simple talk therapy are extremely beneficial, a healthy lifestyle, incorporating a dedicated workout regimen, can positively aid progress.

Exercise can bring remarkable benefits to the overall well-being, improving not only one’s physiological state, but also enhancing the state of mind. A good session of exercise reduces stress-causing hormones, namely adrenaline and cortisol, while simultaneously stimulating endorphins, increasing chemicals in the brain that stabilise one’s mood and emotions.

Mental stress symptoms usually include worry, irritability, restlessness, insomnia, hostility, a feeling of anxiety and panic, often disrupting daily functioning and social etiquette. A tense mind and unsettled emotions often causes a lot of undue stress on the muscles, leading to stiff-neck, backache, taut facial expressions and joint inflammation. It also causes a pounding pulse and rapid irregular breathing leaving one breathless, and a sensation of tightness in the chest… in short a sense of unease, to say the least.

Exercise is a form of active recreation; it helps keep the mind away from stress. Simply put, during workouts, one is exercising as opposed to thinking about matters that lead to depression or anxiety.

It is important to exercise four-five times a week, for a session of approximately 45 minutes to an hour. This enables one to be disciplined and helps adhere to a routine, which has often proved to improve the state of mind.

A disclaimer: I strongly recommend one to exercise regularly to improve mental health. However, I also strongly recommend readers to seek appropriate professional help from counselors, psychologists and psychiatrists when it comes to dealing with mental health issues. I urge friends and families of the person concerned to reach out if they know one of their own is suffering from any mental health problems, to take appropriate, necessary and prompt action and to consult professionals and medical care experts.

Regular exercising can help keep depression and anxiety under check. It is a step towards a healthy state of being. Shutterstock

Depression

We all face phases when we feel trapped. However, depression is more complex than simply being sad. One can feel doomed and withdraw from family members, even failing to perform physiological necessities, such as eating and sleeping. The pandemic has left everyone in a state of chaos — it could be about adjusting to radical changes in job requirements, caring for dear ones suffering from this virus, or being infected with the virus themselves.

Regular exercising can help. It is a step towards a healthy state of being. The neuro system is impacted in a positive manner, allowing and enhancing nerve cells to respond and function at optimal levels. It improves cognitive ability, decision-making skills, and facilitates rational behaviour. The change is typically slow at the inception of regular exercise. It is extremely important to make the effort a regular habit. The improvement in the brain allows one to feel better about themselves and their perception of the surroundings. The chemical balance in our brain cells is better. Having reached the equilibrium as a result of a routine workout, the sense of doom gradually wears off. “In people who are depressed, neuroscientists have noticed that the hippocampus in the brain — the region that helps regulate mood — is smaller. Exercise supports nerve cell growth in the hippocampus, improving nerve cell connections, which helps relieve depression,” said Dr. Michael Craig Miller, assistant professor of psychiatry, Harvard Medical School.

Anxiety

Anxiety is when one is constantly in a state of irrational worry or fear, to the extent that they are unable to perform their daily routine. They experience bouts of panic attacks. It is normal to be stressed when you’re under pressure to meet deadlines, or for students to be stressed during examinations. However, when this becomes chronic and feelings of apprehension arise for no logical reason, matters become complex than simply being stressed. Panic attacks are commonly seen in those with obsessive compulsive disorder, PTSD and so on. Panic attacks may include hostile behaviour, such as being rude and impolite, rapid breathing, hyperventilating, excessive perspiration without physical exertion, tightness in the chest, muscle cramping and nausea, which can be quite painful.

Regular exercising helps, it helps increase neurotransmitters, namely glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid. Both these neurotransmitters play an essential role in the overall functioning of the brain and its receptor. While glutamate is an excitatory neurotransmitter, GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter, that is a calming one, and their balance is crucial. Many imaging studies have proved that exercise is crucial for the optimum efficiency of the neurotransmitter and other neuro receptors.

“Major depressive disorder is often characterised by depleted glutamate and GABA, which return to normal when mental health is restored,” said Dr. Richard Maddock, professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioural sciences, UC Davis Health. “From a metabolic standpoint, vigorous exercise is the most demanding activity the brain encounters, much more intense than calculus or chess, but nobody knows what happens with all that energy,” he said. “Apparently, one of the things it’s doing is making more neurotransmitters.”

Anwar Wahhab is a metabolic analytic practitioner and strength and conditioning coach. You can reach him at anwarwahhab@awefitness.com

Simple but consistent routine

Studies have often proved that exercise enhances the functionality of the neurotransmitter and increases the efficacy of our central nervous system. It is advised to exercise four-five a week, and each session should ideally be between 45-60 minutes.

1 Regular and routine exercise regimen will alleviate stress and improve one’s mental health.

2 Engaging in a form of physical activity can deviate the mind from the stimulus that causes stress.

3 Increased heart rate during a workout session alters brain chemistry in a positive trajectory. Hormones such as serotonin and cortisol, and neurotransmitters like gamma-aminobutyric acid, are balanced and function optimally having equilibrium.

4 It might be quite a challenge to get exercising when depressed or anxious. Owing to disturbed sleep pattern, erratic changes in emotions, irritability, physical discomfort, one is likely to be less motivated to work out. Starting with as little as five minutes a day will improve one’s outlook drastically. With time, you can pick up the pace.

5 Consistency is very important. One may do very well for a week and have an ideal week of workout. However, the nature of depression and anxiety may cause a person to falter and simply give up. Friends and family members need to be encouraging.