Exercise has become an increasingly prevalent topic in discussions on mental health and physical health. It is common now to hear about how exercising can improve and maintain our mental health; studies have shown that it is beneficial on many levels. Scientists are working to understand precisely what is going on in the body and brain that causes the positive effects we see ("Exercise and Mental Health," 2017). However, while the nitty-gritty details may interest some, what exactly do I need to do to feel better, and why do I sometimes feel worse before, during, or after exercising? This is a question that I still ask myself from time to time. Here are a few topics that I find relevant to university students struggling to include regular exercise as a way to support mental health.
But I just don't have time
This is so valid. As a full-time student with a job and a commitment to volunteering, I find it really hard to find the time to hit the gym. It's impossible to fully understand someone else's day-to-day experiences, so it can be really frustrating to be told, "You’re just making excuses.” However, just with any other activity done for the sake of mental health, it is important to be kind to yourself and understand your limits. Sometimes, being busy can impose its own challenges to maintaining mental health, this is why it can be important to incorporate balance. An easy trap to fall into is to say harsh things to yourself for missing a gym day or resting, and this feeds a vicious cycle that, for many, just makes you less likely to go!
Finding a good solution to escape this cycle may take a different method (and trial and error). For me, I searched for fun, instructor-led, physically engaging courses held on campus. Having a one-hour class at the same time every week makes it easier for me to protect that time, as it starts to feel more like a class I don't want to skip rather than an activity where I need to scavenge any free time I can get, just to do it. Having an instructor meant that I didn’t need to worry about the structure of the exercise; I could just do what everyone else was doing! Finally, having a group of others made the exercise a more communal and engaging experience.
Pressures
A significant obstacle to finding a fun activity you keep returning to is pressure. Pressure can be direct, such as from our peers, or indirect, from what we see others do around us and online. I would bet that we have all experienced at least one interaction with someone who believes their sport or activity alone reigns supreme, and it can feel disheartening to hear that your activity is not "intense enough" or "worth your time" or that you are "doing it wrong." This rhetoric can encourage people to push themselves to a point where they might not enjoy their activity as much, give up, or even get injured. However, to reap the mental health benefits of exercise, your activity does not need to be strenuous, strictly structured, or particularly serious ("Exercise and mental health," 2015).
I believe it comes down to individual goals. Someone who wants to become a professional athlete will benefit their physical health and career by focusing on improving their performance as much as possible. As someone with no such plans, I find that mindset takes away from enjoying activities like lifting weights. Setting goals for myself, rather than struggling to implement goals that stem from the pressure of others, is a long-term skill worth practicing. It’s easy to get carried away with our goals and forget to enjoy reaching them bit by bit over the long term. It can be difficult when we feel pressured into a certain direction, whether that be the type of exercise, amount, or frequency of exercise. It can be helpful to find what works best for you!
Finding the right fit
There are so many different ways to move our bodies and feel good while doing so. Some people love cardio, such as running or swimming, while others hate it. Others may love weight lifting, while others enjoy contact sports, yoga, callisthenics, or team sports, and the list goes just on and on. Through trial and error, I found that I enjoy lifting weights, which I find myself wanting to do again and again, but when it comes to running, I hate it with a passion. I tried running, but I found myself dreading it every time, regardless of how I changed my goals, mindset, or music. However, I recently tried kickboxing, which, if you do any contact sports, you know, involves a lot of cardio. While my brain fights against the idea of getting on a treadmill, kickboxing has become a fun alternative activity that makes me feel good before and after, even though I would never have expected to enjoy it.
The novelty of kickboxing was also a big positive factor for me, despite it being initially intimidating. Trying something completely new might be intimidating, but having a good friend to join can soften the blow and make it a fun experience. Often, it doesn't even matter how experienced that friend is as long as you get through the door and give it a try!
Being kind to yourself
Being active takes a lot of self-compassion. I think back to what I've said to others in my life who feel bad for being less active, particularly as midterms or finals approach, and remember that if I am okay with supporting them, then I should be okay with supporting myself too. It might look like forgiveness for resting instead of meeting whatever goal I had set for myself. Recognizing when we have fallen into the vicious cycle of being overly critical of our shortcomings can be challenging, but it is a first step to breaking the cycle, and enjoying our physical activities.
Self-compassion can also look like finding creative ways to accommodate those busy times by remembering that any exercise can be better than no exercise at all. Even walking the longer way between classes, taking more stairs, stretching, chair squats, or doing a handful of pushups at home can bring some of those benefits we seek from exercise. The important thing is to enjoy doing it!
Author bio:
I am Youssef Mohamed, a third year BSc student double majoring in Biological Sciences and Psychology. I have been volunteering with the PSC for nearly a year. Outside of school, I enjoy reading, playing video games with my friends, and hiking outdoors whenever possible!
References:
Mikkelsen, Kathleen, et al. “Exercise and mental health.” Maturitas, vol. 106, Dec. 2017, pp. 48–56, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.maturitas.2017.09.003.
“Exercise and Mental Health.” Better Health Channel, Department of Health & Human Services, 18 Sept. 2015, www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/exercise-and-mental-health.