Whether you’re facing stress, anxiety, or depression yourself or helping a loved one with these common struggles, managing mental health can be challenging to say the least. Talk therapy and medication are helpful for many people, but for others, these traditional treatment options may feel insufficient on their own.
So, what else can you do? You’re probably aware of the physical benefits of movement, but what some people don’t realize is that physical activity can have a big impact on supporting emotional well-being. What’s more, without addressing the body, mental health symptoms might persist or worsen, even with treatment.
Doing regular workouts or simply moving your body more can help, but you might consider therapeutic exercise as a more intentional solution.
What is therapeutic exercise, how does it work, and how is it different from a regular workout?
We’ll answer these questions below and discuss how Brain-Body Therapy’s custom therapeutic exercise plans are built around this method. We’ll also explore the mental health benefits of exercise and look at research into the therapeutic benefits of exercise on mental illness​.
What Is Therapeutic Exercise?
Therapeutic exercise leverages the well-researched benefits of exercising for mental health. It’s a form of structured physical activity purposefully designed to address specific mental or physical health conditions, rather than simply focusing on improving fitness.
Though therapeutic exercise can involve many common types of exercise (walking, hiking, yoga, tai chi, mobility work, etc.), it differs from typical workouts in that it emphasizes intentional movement, mind-body awareness, and holistic well-being.
There’s no shortage of scientific evidence demonstrating the power of physical movement to help improve mental health outcomes, including managing symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression.
Keep in mind, therapeutic exercise is a complementary approach. It’s not a replacement for psychotherapy or medication for those living with more severe mental health conditions.
This guide will explore the positive effects of physical activity on emotional and psychological well-being, touch on the different types of therapeutic exercise, and go over Brain-Body Therapy’s approach of combining mental health counseling with regular movement.
How Therapeutic Exercise Impacts Mental Health
What are the benefits of regular exercise on mental health? There are several, including:
- Promoting neuroplasticity
- Reducing symptoms of anxiety
- Improving mood
- Easing depressive symptoms
- Building stress resilience
- Supporting cognitive
- Supporting emotional regulation
Let’s explore these therapeutic exercise benefits in more detail.
Let’s explore these therapeutic exercise benefits in more detail.
Physical activity has been shown to enhance neuroplasticity. This is the brain’s ability to adapt to change, reorganize, rewire, and continue to function amid daily stressors, unforeseen change, and anything else life throws at us.
Exercising releases brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF is a critical protein that supports neuroplasticity by helping the brain build new neural pathways and grow neurons (nerve cells that act as messengers throughout the body).