Mental health relates to your enjoyment of life, your ability to cope with stress and sadness, the fulfillment of goals and life’s potential, and a sense of connection to others.

Having a healthy mind starts with activities that contribute to reduced stress and anxiety while opening doors that foster healthy habits and friendships. Below are some of the best exercises and physical activities that will clear your mind and promote mental well-being.

Mountain biking

Research shows that the best exercise for mental health is green exercise. So what is green exercise? Green exercise is physical activity in the presence of nature. Like hiking or mountain biking.

Mountain biking, like hiking, puts you right in the center of nature. Mountain biking requires rapid recreation times, and quick decision making….all keys to getting you into the ‘zone’ or a state of flow. 

While many non-riders tend to think of mountain biking as an extreme sport, most bikers are pedaling through flowy trails that gently weave there way through forests and natural landscapes. 

In 2018, the School of Population and Global Health and the University of Western Australia evaluated a Mountain Biking Program for socially at-risk and marginalized youths.

Programs, such as this Trials to Trails is a great way to teach youths ‘safe danger’ through activities such as mountain biking, which is a “fundamental aspect of childhood development and the facilitation of life skills such as risk assessment and management.” 

Starting on beginner trails in nature sure beats spin class at the gym as you breathe in the fresh air and feel the sunshine on your face.

Hiking, walking, jogging in green spaces

Nature-Deficit Disorder was a term that originally applied to children to describe behavior problems due to spending most of their time indoors and glued to ‘smart’ gadgets. 

However, this term also applies to adults that lead an indoor centered life focused on technology and gadgetry. 

Studies of ‘green exercise’ shows that physical activities done in parks, forests, waterside, farmlands, countrysides, and areas of natural beauty are significantly more healthy than the same activities done indoors, especially for improving your mental health. 

Hiking and walking outdoors is one of the best activities you can do to improve your mood and general mental well-being:

• Endorphins and mono-amines are released when you walk and hike. Endorphins are structurally similar to the drug morphine and help to improve your mood and feeling of well-being while reducing pain and discomfort  

• Green-spaces with water show the largest increases in both mood and self-esteem. Walking/jogging along a lakefront trail is a double-dose of natural anti-depressants 

• Improved sleep - Hiking and jogging outdoors will sufficiently wear you out which causes you to have a great night of sleep…who doesn't feel better after being well rested?? 

• Reduction of negative thoughts as trouncing through the woods offers a form of escapism

Group walk or bike ride

For those that don’t have access to trails and green spaces or enjoy hiking in nature, studies show that walking in groups indoors or outdoors has a hugely positive effect on your mental health. 

Some researchers believe part of the reason for the positive effect of green exercise is due to increased social interactions.

Going for a walk in a group or cycling with a group of friends not only provides you with physical activity, but also with social contentedness.

Studies that look at group walks and mental health generally find that creating and strengthening social relationships is one of the most profound impacts for improving your mental health.

All humans want to belong. This is a basic human need. Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs shows that only food, shelter, and safety are more essential to humans than belonging.

Going for a group walk or joining a Spin Class (indoor cycling) are great ways to get human movement, but are also a great way to meet people that have similar goals and lifestyle choices. Surrounding yourself with motivated people that ooze with positive energy is infectious. 

Yoga

While there are many different types of yoga, such as Iyengar, Kriya, and Kripalu, all the yoga forms share the same basic method, which is breathing, physical exercise, and mediation with only the emphasis differing. 

Studies show that yoga is effective in the prevention and management of stress, anxiety, depression, and stress-induced disorders.  

Yoga has two main components responsible for improving your mental health:

1. Asana - Meditation posture and is used as a general term for a sitting meditation pose

2. Pranayama: Expansion and control of your breath, which allows you to cultivate and channel your prana

Several studies even found that “yoga interventions were able to improve the symptoms of PTSD in persons with PTSD after exposure to combat and terrorism.”

If yoga is powerful enough to improve Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) you can bet that it’s one of the most effective forms of exercise for improving your mental health.

Swimming

The psychological effects of swimming are similar to those of jogging. “Swimmers from a normal population reported significant acute reductions in scores on Tension, Depression, Anger, and Confusion, and increased Vigor immediately after swimming.” (Berger and Owen)

However, to reap the mental health benefits of swimming you will have to make sure that you don’t:

• Swimming in warm water doesn’t improve mood or short-term happiness 

• Swimming at a high intensity is also not beneficial for mood enhancements

While breathing is second nature, most people don’t breathe effectively. Swimming forces you to breathe differently as most people, including myself, are unable to breathe underwater. 

While swimming, you breathe deeper and more efficiently, this deep breathing relaxes you, reduces anxiety, improves digestion, and helps eliminate toxins from your body.

Racket sports (tennis, pickleball, squash)

My parents, who are retired, play pickleball 3 to 4 days a week year-round and plan their lives around their pickleball schedule.

Participation in physical activities promotes optimism, social contentedness, new social circles, and an opportunity to remind us of our youth for many older adults.

However, studies show that you don’t have to be ‘old’ to get health benefits from playing racquet sports.

Racket sports are great since it forces you to run laterally, which is something most people need to do more often and they involve short repeated bursts of energy.

Tennis and other racket sports require lots of hand-eye-coordination. Studies looking at tennis find that older adults have significantly quicker reaction times than their non-active peers and even compared to sedentary youngsters.

Studies show that a single session of tennis will relieve stress…maybe whacking the daylights out of a tennis ball is better than a stress ball?

Beyond the physical components though, racquet spots offer significant brain and mental health benefits and racquet sport participation encourages social interaction as these matches are more fun when you are not just whacking the ball against the wall.

Final thought

The vast majority of exercise and sport studies research the physiological effects. However, the limited studies that are available make a strong case for incorporating exercise into your lifestyle if you’re looking to improve your mental health. 

Exercise is a neglected intervention in mental health care as exercise reduces stress, anxiety, worry, and improves mood, well-being, confidence, and feelings of happiness.  

While weight-training, boxercise, and group exercise classes are popular, we all strive to live a life that frees us from the shackles of our reality. Exercise should be an escape and not a chore. If driving to the local Y is a burden, then strap on your hiking boots or clip-in….and let the fun begin.

Jesse is the Director of Pedal Chile and lives in La Patagonia. Jesse has a Master of Science in Health and Human Performance and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. Hobbies: Mountain biking, reading, researching, weight-lifting, craft beer and snowboarding.

More articles from Jesse

• How many calories do you burn mountain biking?

• What is the healthiest beer?

• What are the health benefits of mountain biking?

Sources

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