It’s increasingly common for someone to be diagnosed with a condition such as ADHD or autism as an adult. A diagnosis often brings relief, but it can also come with as many questions as answers. 
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Posted January 24, 2024 Reviewed by Hara Estroff Marano
By Jorge R. Petit, M.D.,
Physical fitness enhances a general sense of well-being. If you wish to reduce your level of stress or improve symptoms of depression and anxiety, exercise can help. The field of psychiatry has developed a growing appreciation for exercise as a powerful tool in enhancing one’s mental health. This shift is reflected in research and healthcare practices, highlighting the integral role of physical activity in maintaining not just physical but also mental health.
The global pandemic has highlighted the importance of well-being, as evidenced by increased media coverage on the impact of loneliness and isolation, a spate of celebrity disclosures of their emotional struggles, and new federal policy initiatives aimed at increasing awareness about mental health issues. Mental health, once a taboo topic, is now openly discussed and acknowledged as a critical component of overall health, leading to greater awareness of its crucial role in well-being.
These changes are most likely due to the fact that society is currently grappling with rising rates of depression and anxiety among children and adolescents, increased rates of suicide and overdose deaths, ongoing difficulty accessing behavioral health supports and services, and a lack of parity and adequate coverage for needed mental health services. Additionally, an increasingly sedentary lifestyle, especially among adolescents, exacerbated by the COVID pandemic’s school lockdowns, remote learning, and social distancing, has repeatedly been shown to have deleterious effects on health, mental health, and emotional well-being.
The connection between physical fitness and mental health is established. Engaging in regular exercise can lead to improved self-esteem and enhanced cognitive functioning. Research has consistently shown that physical activity is not just beneficial for physical fitness but also plays a key role in alleviating the symptoms of certain mental health conditions and promoting mental health and well-being. The findings are consistent across the globe. For example, The Global State of Mind Index study revealed a strong positive link between physical activity and mental health.
Exercise is now recognized as a viable and important component of holistic care in managing mental health challenges like depression, anxiety, and stress. As awareness of the benefits grows, healthcare practitioners are increasingly recommending physical activity as part of comprehensive treatment plans for a number of mental health conditions.
For example, in 2022, the John W. Brick Foundation published Move Mental Health: A Review of the Scientific Evidence on the Role of Exercise and Physical Activity in Mental Health. The report analyzed over 1,000 studies, finding a statistically significant correlation between physical activity (defined as cardiovascular/aerobic activities and mindfulness-based activities like yoga and tai chi) and mental health in 89% of the peer reviewed research. This vast literature review clearly demonstrated that general physical activity was beneficial when taking into account intensity (moderate to vigorous), frequency (several times per week) and combination of aerobic and resistance training.
Several behavioral and social interventions and community-wide initiatives effectively can increase physical activity, improve fitness among children and adults, and consequently help boost mental health and well-being. Some of the interventions make use of digital, mobile, and wearable technologies, but there are many effective approaches that do not require anything high-tech or costly.
Technology-assisted solutions, like apps or other digital methods for guided workouts or virtual reality fitness games, can make exercise more engaging, especially for individuals who find traditional exercise routines of limited appeal. Some apps use behavioral intervention techniques, such as goal setting, positive reinforcement, gamification, and habit-forming strategies to encourage regular physical activity.
Below, is a list of some of the most popular digital, mobile, and wearable resources to help achieve one’s goals. Please note, the following resources are provided for informational purposes only and not intended to be an endorsement of the companies or the products by either myself or the Group for Advancement of Psychiatry.
Countless New Year’s resolutions and a high level of new gym memberships at the start of each new year attest to the fact that individuals want to engage in more physical activity. However, changing behavior, such as incorporating exercise into one’s daily routine can be very challenging.
However, all too often, individuals set unrealistic goals and expectations for themselves or decide to focus on doing something they are not fond of (like going out to a gym). This sets them up to get discouraged when they realize how hard it is or when they don’t see quick results. The best approach is not to try “to boil the ocean” but to take slow and deliberate steps that make for a sustained change in one’s routines. After all, even small amounts of exercise can lead to significant improvements in both physical and mental health.
With that in mind, here are 5 practical tips to help get started, regardless of fitness level or age:
The goal is to make physical activity a regular and enjoyable part of one’s lifestyle. To start, gradually increase the intensity and duration of workouts. By incorporating some form of regular physical activity into daily routines, one can be more successful at managing symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress, and improve overall quality of life. The secret is starting slow and then systematically and methodically incorporating physical activity into everyday routines as a way of achieving optimal well-being.
Jorge R. Petit, M.D., is member of the Committee on Administration and Leadership at the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry.
References
Singh B, Olds T, Curtis R, et al Effectiveness of physical activity interventions for improving depression, anxiety and distress: an overview of systematic reviews. British Journal of Sports Medicine 2023;57:1203-12.
Duckworth AL, Gross JJ. Behavior Change. Organ Behav Hum Decis Process. 2020 Nov;161(Suppl):39-49. doi: 10.1016/j.obhdp.2020.09.002. Epub 2020 Dec 10. PMID: 33716396; PMCID: PMC7946166.
Mikkelsen K, Stojanovska L, Polenakovic M,et al. Exercise and mental health. Maturitas, 2017, 106,48-56. doi.org/10.1016/j.maturitas.2017.09.003.
Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP) is a think tank of top psychiatric minds whose thoughtful analysis and recommendations serve to influence and advance modern psychiatric theory and practice.
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It’s increasingly common for someone to be diagnosed with a condition such as ADHD or autism as an adult. A diagnosis often brings relief, but it can also come with as many questions as answers.