A new publication in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise has shown that exercise brings more mental health benefits if it’s for fun, with friends, or in enjoyable settings compared to when it’s completed due to obligations or chores.
The article reviewed three types of studies that covered the mental health benefits of exercise: large epidemiological studies, randomized controlled trials, and smaller studies on contextual factors in exercise. Many previous studies have shown that higher rates of physical activity are linked to lower rates of anxiety and depression, among other health benefits. However, some key questions remain, such as whether the setting and context of the exercise matter for your mental health. For example, does a commute to work that involves physical activity lead to the same benefits as a tennis match with friends? This study sought to determine the strengths and limitations of the evidence surrounding the link between exercise and mental health, including which contextual factors may influence outcomes.
In randomized controlled trials involving mental health and exercise, studies consistently showed that more physical activity was linked to better mental health. However, these studies were typically small and short, and they featured mostly white, affluent individuals. Therefore, the results of the studies are hard to generalize. While some epidemiological evidence exists on exercise and mental health, the results are currently insufficient to link mental health with occupational or chore-related exercise. Similarly, few contextual studies exist, but emerging evidence suggests that the social environment and program quality of exercise can have a large impact on mental health outcomes.
The authors noted that context is likely very important in determining the mental health benefits of exercise. In the future, larger and longer-term randomized controlled trials may help to determine the true effects of exercise on mental health.
Sources: Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, Science Daily
