Exercise is Good for the Brain

 By Chloe Teller 

 JRN 100 Staff Reporter

Brett Gordon, postdoctoral candidate at Penn State, has been researching and reporting on mental health and exercise  

Source: Penn State Health News 

 
 

  

Exercise not only helps physical health, but research is now showing that it helps mental health as well, according to a recent study.  

  

Brett Gordon, of Baltimore, Maryland, is a postdoctoral candidate at Penn State Cancer Institute and has always had a passion for exercising and learning how to keep his endorphins boosted.  

 
 

Gordon has been researching the connection between exercise and endorphins for years and has published several papers on this topic. He majored in athletic training at the University of Miami, earned his master’s degree in Kinesiology and Exercise Science at Temple University, and his Ph.D. from the University of Limerick. 

 
 

Gordon said that while exercise can help many people, people should consult their medical caregivers before going off medication if they are suffering from mental health issues.   

 
 

Some people need medication, and Gordon is aware of that. Just exercising can’t fix everyone's mental health, however, it can be a help to many. 

 
 

“Pharmaceutical therapy can take months, where exercise can work quickly and have the same effect,” said Gordon.  

 
 

It’s important to listen to your doctor, regarding your medicine, but it is a harmless idea to also try to improve your health by exercising.  

 
 

“Exercise can serve as a combination treatment, and can safely be combined with medication,” said Gordon.  

 
 

This means that while exercise can serve as someone’s sole medicine, that does not apply to all.  

 
 

According to a BMC study done in 2020, researchers found that cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness reduce mental health problems.  

  

The BMC study examined the grip strength of individuals with common mental health problems. The results showed that people with lower grip strength showed higher odds of mental health disorders than someone with higher grip strength. Lower grip strength people had higher odds of anxiety, depression, or both.   

  

This study showed that improvements in grip strength would lessen the odds of a common mental disorder by 32.5%.  

 
 

According to the BMC study, approximately 18% of adults will have experienced a form of mental disorder within one year of their life.  

 
 

Along with this, evidence now suggests that physical activity can positively affect a range of mental health outcomes, such as mood, stress, and self-worth.  

   

Gordon said that people can significantly boost their mental health with even a small amount of daily exercise.   

  

“I think a lot of people have this idea that to get exercise is this complex, difficult thing. They think you have to run, know exercises, and join a gym. It’s much more accessible to the general population than they think. Go for a walk around the neighborhood. You can do things at home that target the same that a gym could,” said Gordon.   

 
 

Many things are accessible to the population that many people don’t take advantage of. 

  

“There is such stigma around ‘working out’ that it almost scares people away, and discourages them,” Gordon said.  

 
 

For those who might be intimidated, he said the first step is to simply get up and do something light. This could include walking up and down your stairs or going on a walk around the neighborhood. 

  

“Light intensity physical activity can have long-lasting results,” Gordon said.  

 
 

Many people don’t realize how you can see changes, even when you are doing small things.  

  

According to the BMC study, small improvements in mental health through fitness are possible in a small amount of time. The study shows that three weeks of aerobic exercise improves 31% of the release of corticotropin, a peptide hormone involved in the stress response. And in that three weeks, the increase in this hormone lessens mental health disorders by 14.1%.   

  

Gordon’s greatest success in seeing results from exercise and mental health was seeing the outcome of an eight-week trial he conducted in Ireland.  

 
 

The trial took place with 25 young adults in Ireland. These young adults took part in an eight-week program of strength training two times a week.  

 
 

The results of his trial were amazing. Gordon said that the positive effects of their depression were quite large and that the people were overall much mentally happier after this trial.  

 
 

Katie Walsh said she suffered from depression and anxiety as a child that continued into her adulthood. She said she turned to exercise as an outlet when she was feeling poorly inside, and exercise was the beginning of her finding a way to motivate herself to get better.   

  

Now she is a trainer at a bootcamp in Boston, Massachusetts.  

 
 

“I needed a change,” Walsh said, referring to her mental health state.  

 
 

With two daughters at home, Walsh needed a way to get herself out of bed and get motivated to attack her day.  

 
 

It’s hard to be down in the dumps and overthinking, especially when you have children at home to take care of. Finding herself at the bootcamp was an important step in the right direction for Walsh and her mental health.   

  

“I love my job at the bootcamp, I wake up every morning ready to start my day,” said Walsh, who said she is not only helping others but also herself.  

  

“It’s just a great feeling, being able to sweat out the stress. If I have something hanging over my head, chances are after I exercise, it will be gone. I’m just an overall happier person,” Walsh said.    

 
 

Walsh has personally seen many results in her day-to-day life and enjoys inspiring new people to work to better themselves. She wants people to begin to see results in the ways that she did.   

 
 

“My biggest piece of advice is to exercise because you love yourself, and you want to better yourself. Nothing else matters, just do it for you,” Walsh said.  

  

Gordon hopes that more people will be open to the idea of exercising as a way to support good mental health. He hopes his and others’ research about exercise and endorphins will encourage people to get moving.    

  

“I want the message that there are mental health benefits to spread so wide that we know we have made an impact and done our job,” Gordon said.