Wolé Parks On How Physical Activity Can Improve Your Mental Health

When it comes to fitness, people often think only about the physical benefits — namely lower blood pressure, increased endurance, and lower risk of obesity among others.

However, actor Wolé Parks — who has participated in grueling triathlons and is an advocate for fitness — wants to remind you that physical and mental health is more closely linked than many people realize.

Instant Mood Enhancer

While there are potential long-term mental benefits that exercise can provide, in some cases the improvements can be felt almost immediately.

For example, if you engage in some moderate exercise such as jogging and even gardening, then you might already know that it can lift your mood within a few minutes when you’ve completed it. This is thanks to the endorphins that are released by the brain, which makes you feel naturally happier, even after some medium-intensity aerobics.

Not only that, but Wolé Parks says exercise can help relieve some stress from a tough workday. Physical activity lowers levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which will help you feel more relaxed and less “on edge.” It’s no wonder there’s a term called “runner’s high” to describe the euphoric feeling soon after a run, including these immediate mental benefits as well as acting as a temporary pain reliever.

Potential Long-Term Benefits

Wolé Parks notes that regular exercise has become a huge form of mental decompression for him — it can even help alleviate symptoms in people with long-term depression.

Studies on the subject show that regular activity might even be as effective as medication for major depressive disorder. Research has also shown that while exercise can help manage symptoms of depression, it can also lower risk of relapse.

Meanwhile, patients with anxiety could also see some improvements in their mental well-being by engaging in regular activity. Other research has suggested that exercise can reduce the “fight-or-flight” response linked to anxiety, meaning the patient is less likely to have a panic attack. Researchers note that anxiety creates sweat and quickened heart rate like a panic attack does, but add that regular activity can essentially help rewire the brain, associating panic symptoms with something more positive.

Aside from managing mood disorders, regular exercise can also help protect the brain from age-related memory loss. Wolé Parks says there’s also research that makes a case for exercise and memory benefits. More specifically, the research found that getting active on a daily basis could actually enlarge the part of your brain called the hippocampus that’s associated with retaining information.

You may not even need to exercise everyday to get this memory boost — the participants in the study walked for an hour twice a week.

Get The Right Amount of Exercise

Wolé Parks warns not to overdo it with exercise, especially if you’re jumping from a sedentary lifestyle into an active mode. Aim to get fit gradually for physical and mental benefits. It is recommended that you aim for at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week, or slightly less if the activity is high intensity.