Sarah's tips on anxiety and exercise

Have you ever felt anxious, tired, stressed, unable to concentrate, unable to fall asleep at night, lack of motivation or lack of energy, or all of the above?  

One way to improve your mental health is through exercise. Not only does exercise benefit your mental health, it will also benefit your overall wellbeing.  

Research has shown that those who exercise on a regular basis, have better mental health as exercise helps to decrease the risk of developing anxiety and depression, as well as manage stress.  

Exercise can help increase levels of serotonin and dopamine in our brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that plays a role in regulating our sleeping patterns, appetite, body temperature and most importantly our mood. Research has shown that the level of serotonin can impact our mood and behaviour.   

Dopamine is another neurotransmitter that plays part in motivation, memory, attention and reward. Research has shown that low levels of dopamine can lead to decreased motivation.  

Regular exercise can provide benefits as it can help increase dopamine and serotonin levels.  

A study conducted by Chekroud, Gueorguieva, Zheutlin, Paulus, Krumholz Krysal and Chekroud (2001), found that exercising at least 3-5 times a week for 45 minutes, showed the most benefit compared to those who exercise less or more during the week.  

Physical activities can include walking, yoga, pilates, cycling, running or any other sports activity can assist with stress relief and also improve your mood.  

It is important to start by setting small and achievable goals so that you will be more motivated to achieve this. To help with implementing these changes or activities, it will be important to plan ahead to fit into your day so that this can become part of your routine over time.  

 Warm regards,

Sarah Mak

Psychologist @ The Mindful Centre