People can sometimes rely too much on exercise as a way to manage their mental health with adverse consequences, finds recent research.
The benefits of regular exercise are well documented for physical and mental health. Exercising regularly helps you to sleep better and keeps you brighter and more positive. This is because you release endorphins when you exercise – and these promote pleasure and boost mood.
However, there is a danger that people can start relying too heavily on exercise to enhance their mood and start developing an unhealthy relationship with physical activity. They may even, unknowingly, become addicted to exercise and no longer feel in control of how much activity they do and for how long.
Recent research from Mind found that while 67 per cent of people believed that physical exercise plays an important role in their wellbeing, less than three in five people (69 per cent) included rest days in their exercise routine.
The report, which surveyed 2,089 adults, found that 38 per cent of respondents used exercise as a way of managing difficult feelings, while a worrying 18 per cent said they continued to exercise, despite being ill or injured. Meanwhile, 40 per cent said they felt guilty if they missed a workout or sports session.
Exercise can be a way of literally “running away” from problems and may serve as a barrier to people getting the support they need – or it can become an obsession in itself, with people feeling compelled to exercise every day, failing to take any breaks or unable to stop exercising without being wracked with guilt. Either way, exercising beyond your limits can cause both physical and emotional harm, says Mind.
There is a fine line between over-exercising (for too long, too frequently and without sufficient rest) and being addicted to exercise and feeling unable to stop or control it. The problem of excessive exercise has become exacerbated by the pandemic, say experts.
“During the pandemic, a lack of access to our usual forms of support, including family and friends, as well as more time working from or being at home has been really tough,” said Hayley Jarvis, head of physical activity at Mind. “In that time, we have seen increasing reports that some of us have been coping by becoming overly reliant on exercise as the main way to manage our mental health.”
Mind suggests the following five steps to help you maintain a healthy relationship with exercise:
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Check in with how you’re feeling – are you moving because you want to? Or because you feel you have to?
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Try to take rest days. Rest is personal. Some of us might find it difficult to start with, but rest can help your body and mind to recover – so it’s really important.
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Try to avoid setting goals based around your weight or body shape. Be kind to yourself. Not every day will lead to a personal best, and that’s okay.
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Aim for balance. Be mindful of the exercise you do. It might help to keep an activity diary to ensure that you are getting the right mix.
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Connect with others outside physical activity and make sure to do other things that you enjoy that aren’t exercise.
If you are struggling with your mental health, you can find local sources of support on this website.
See download below with more information about recognising if you have an unhealthy relationship with exercise and where to get help.
