Mental and Physical Wellness: The Connection

7 Dimensions of Wellness: Mental and Physical


Did you know that exercise can help with depression and anxiety? Moving your body will help to reduce stress and help to increase your mental wellness as well as your physical well being. Just walking 30 minute per day can do wonders for you mentally. Its is believed your body releases endorphins as you walk which helps to reduce the symptoms of depression and stress.

Walking outside is can be even better. Connecting with the environment; the sunshine, the birds chirping, listening to the wind blowing through the trees, can be soothing as you walk.

Other benefits as cited from the Mayo Clinic:

The benefits of exercise for depression and anxiety

Exercise has many psychological and emotional benefits when you have depression or anxiety. These include:

• Confidence. Being physically active gives you a sense of accomplishment. Meeting goals or challenges, no matter how small, can boost self-confidence at times when you need it most. Exercise can also make you feel better about your appearance and your self-worth.
• Distraction. When you have depression or anxiety, it's easy to dwell on how badly you feel. But dwelling interferes with your ability to problem solve and cope in a healthy way. Dwelling can also make depression more severe and longer lasting. Exercise can shift the focus away from unpleasant thoughts to something more pleasant, such as your surroundings or the music you enjoy listening to while you exercise.
• Interactions. Depression and anxiety can lead to isolation. That, in turn, can worsen your condition. Exercise may give you the chance to meet or socialize with others, even if it's just exchanging a friendly smile or greeting as you walk around your neighborhood.
• Healthy coping. Doing something positive to manage depression or anxiety is a healthy coping strategy. Trying to feel better by drinking alcohol excessively, dwelling on how badly you feel, or hoping depression and anxiety will go away on their own aren't helpful coping strategies.

Most cities are developing walking and biking trails in urban areas to increase accessibility and opportunity for exercise. Check with your local parks department for safe areas to walk in your city and neighborhood.