Resilience Factor 7:
Physical Fitness

Hirut Gebrehanna

Physical fitness is an essential part of our lives to perform our duty in every aspect of life. Since healthcare work involves frequent exposure to risk factors for back pain such as high loading, including spinal twisting and bending during patient handling, it is advisable to work out at least 1-2 times a week for our overall health. I find an article that discusses and recognizes the positive effects of exercise on mood states such as anxiety, stress, and depression through physiological and biochemical mechanisms. Some of the biochemical mechanisms are endorphins, mitochondria, mammalian target of rapamycin, neurotransmitters, and via the thermogenic hypothesis. In addition, psychological mechanisms influence the effects of exercise on mood states, as suggested by both the distraction hypothesis and the self-efficacy hypothesis. Exercise has also been shown to reduce inflammation via several different processes (inflammation, cytokines, toll-like receptors, adipose tissue, and via the vagal tone), contributing to better health outcomes in people suffering from mood disorders. Thus, mental health service providers can provide effective, evidence-based physical activity interventions for individuals with a serious mental illness. Further studies should be done to understand the impact of combining such interventions with traditional mental health treatment, including psychopharmacology and psychotherapy.

Margarita Zaytseva

In this article, the studies were done to explore how physical exercise intervention has been associated with cognitive improvement and stress resilience in humans and animal models. Physical exercise positively influences neuronal reserve, promotes neurogenesis and, synaptic plasticity, reduces oxidative stress and inflammation, and enhances cerebral and peripheral blood flow, which stimulates angiogenic factors that lead to positive changes in the structure and morphology of brain vasculature. Aerobic fitness is considered one of the best indicators of resilience. the study supports that physical fitness confers physiological and psychological benefits and protects against the development of stress-related disorders, as well as improves cognition and motor function that are a consequence of aging and of neurological disorders.

Reference:

Arida, R. M., & Teixeira-Machado, L. (2021). The Contribution of physical exercise to brain resilience. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 14, 626769. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2020.626769

Daniale Delkettie

Physical Fitness & Mental Health

Wow, this article hit all the main points of why I exercise… it listed exercise helps with depression, anxiety, stress, ADHD, PTSD and trauma, better memory and thinking, higher self-esteem, better sleep, more energy, and STRONGER RESILIENCE! Not only does exercise benefit the body, it sharpens the mind.

Reference:

HelpGuide. (n.d.). The mental health benefits of exercise. Exercise and Fitness. https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-living/the-mental-health-benefits-of-exercise.htm

Dee Dee Call

This article linked below describes research done between exercise and mental health. It describes the effect of aerobic exercise on the brain and the benefits in weight, sleep, stress, endurance and mood. Further research is being done to understand the combination of exercise with medication and therapy.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1470658/

Reference:

Sharma, A., Madaan, V., & Petty, F. D. (2006). Exercise for mental health. Primary care companion to the Journal of clinical psychiatry, 8(2), 106. https://doi.org/10.4088/pcc.v08n0208a

Magnum Kandel

Adolescent

The article I found studied the resilience in Chinese adolescents because compared to western studies, china didn't have much research on their adolescent population. After the examination, it was found that: There was a positive relationship between the physical activity level and the mental well-being of Chinese adolescents. Promoting physical activities that build up strength/ resilience could be a promising way to improve the mental health of their adolescent population.

Reference:

Ho, Frederick Ka, et al. “Physical Activity Improves Mental Health through Resilience in Hong Kong Chinese Adolescents.” BMC Pediatrics, vol. 15, no. 1, 2015, doi:10.1186/s12887-015-0365-0

Kim Huynh

In a research by Sammi et al, (2018), on relationship between physical exercise and mental health, showed that individuals who exercised regularly had fewer chances of being sick than their counterparts. Similarly, all exercises regardless of intensity, were associated with lowered mental health stresses than people who did not work out. However, better results were seen for persons that carried out consistent and regular workouts that had intense burning of calories. They included, cycling, gym and aerobics and team sports. The conclusion of the research was that, the more active a person is in working out, the less the mental burden they carry.

Reference:

The author was not able to find the infomation.

Andrea Monroe

Keep on moving

I found a study by Pucinelli et al. (2021) that accessed how a decrease in physical activity during the pandemic lock-down impacted study participants’ depression and anxiety levels. The population that was severely impacted by the low levels of activity evidenced by higher levels of depression and anxiety had low monthly income (financial stress), and were between 21-30 years of age. The study of 1853 volunteers showed that 30% experienced moderate or severe depression symptoms with lower physical activity levels during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Reference:

Pucinelli, P., Santos da Costa, T., Seffrin, A., Barbosa de Lira, C., Vancini, R., Nikolaidis, P., Knechtle, B., Rosemann, T., Hill, L., & Andrade, M. (2021). Reduced level of physical activity during COVID-19 pandemic is associated with depression and anxiety levels: An internet-based survey. BMC Public Health 21(425), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10470-z

Jane Jugao

I found an article to research the impact of low-Intensity exercise and psychoeducation on depressive disorder and self-perceived stress in women with metabolic syndrome. The researchers have found the result of low-intensity exercise with psychoeducation could lower depressive disorder and stress in participant women with metabolic syndrome.

Reference:

Morga, P., Cieślik, B., Sekułowicz, M., Bujnowska-Fedak, M., Drower, I., & Szczepańska-Gieracha, J. (2021). Low-Intensity Exercise as a Modifier of Depressive Symptoms and Self-Perceived Stress Level in Women with Metabolic Syndrome. Journal of Sports Science & Medicine, 20(2), 223–228. https://doi.org/10.52082/jssm.2021.222