How to maximize the mental health benefits of exercise

Exercise is known to help mental health – but movement alone isn’t always enough. New research shows it’s how, where, and why you move that really matters.

In a recent study, scientists found that the mental health benefits of exercise aren’t just tied to intensity or duration. They’re closely connected to the context surrounding the activity – like whether it’s done alone or with others, indoors or outside, for fun or out of obligation.

Study co-author Patrick O’Connor is a professor in the Mary Frances Early College of Education’s Department of Kinesiology at the University of Georgia.

“Historically, physical activity research has focused on how long someone exercises for or how many calories were burned,” said Professor O’Connor.

“The ‘dose’ of exercise has been the dominant way researchers have tried to understand how physical activity might influence mental health, while often ignoring whether those minutes were spent exercising with a friend or as part of a game.”

Exercise with purpose feels different

Not all movement is equal. Walking your dog, riding a bike with friends, or joining a dance class tends to feel good. But scrubbing floors or jogging to make it to work might not. Even if the physical effort is the same, the experience – and its emotional impact – can be very different.

To explore this, the researchers reviewed three kinds of studies: large population surveys, randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and a smaller group of studies focused specifically on context.

The large-scale data showed clear patterns: people who engage in regular leisure-time physical activity – things they choose to do for enjoyment – tend to report less depression and anxiety.

“For example, if a soccer player runs down the field and kicks the game-winning ball, their mental health is fantastic,” said Professor O’Connor. “In contrast, if you do the exact same exercise but miss the goal and people are blaming you, you likely feel very differently.”

“Anecdotes such as these show how context matters even when people are performing a similar exercise dose.”

In other words, the same movement can either lift you up or drag you down depending on the situation.

The limits of traditional studies

While RCTs confirmed that regular exercise can improve mental health – especially for people already dealing with anxiety or depression – most of these studies were short-term and used small, similar groups of people. That limits how much we can apply the findings to the wider public.

“The average effects on mental health are small across all the randomized controlled studies of exercise, and that’s partly because most of the studies focused on people who were not depressed or anxious – you do get bigger effects in those studies,” noted Professor O’Connor.

“We’re communicating to scientists that larger- and longer-term controlled studies are needed to make a compelling case whether exercise does, or does not, truly impact mental health.”

Exercise: Why context matters

What’s still missing – and possibly the most important piece – is a better understanding of the setting and experience. Who were you with? Was it social or solitary? Structured or spontaneous? Did it feel rewarding?

“If you’re outside and it’s hot, and you’re having to walk to work, that’s part of the context,” said O’Connor. “Or if you go and take a group exercise class – some instructors you really like, and some you don’t. So, that’s also part of the context.”

“If we’re trying to help people’s mental health with exercise, then not only do we need to think about the dose and the mode, we also need to ask: What is the context?”

More than just moving

The conclusion is simple, but often overlooked. Physical activity can be powerful, but the impact depends on many factors.

Professor O’Connor emphasized that it’s not just the physical movement that matters, but also the meaning, context, and overall experience that come with it.

“Greater progress will be made in this area when research designs are expanded to include consideration of the potential influence of contextual factors on relationships between physical activity and mental health,” concluded the researchers.

The full study was published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.

—–

Like what you read? Subscribe to our newsletter for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates. 

Check us out on EarthSnap, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

—–