Exercise, Physical Activity, and Mental Health

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Abstract

Physical activity and exercise demonstrate clear physical health benefits, but less attention has been given to potential mental health benefits. This article provides an overview of activity, exercise, and mental health. Activity is associated with greater quality of life and less psychological distress in both clinical and nonclinical populations. Exercise may be a viable treatment option for some mental illnesses, with effects comparable to psychotherapy and medication. Studies have numerous limitations, and optimal levels needed for mental health benefits are unknown, but moderate levels of activity indeed may be an important part of a physically and mentally healthy lifestyle.

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Dr. Margaret Kern is a senior lecturer at the University of Melbourne Graduate School of Education. Her research incorporates a lifespan perspective, advanced quantitative techniques, and interdisciplinary collaboration to investigate individual and social factors that lead to and alter individual trajectories toward health and well-being. Her work focuses on defining and measuring health, psychological well-being, and individual differences at individual and societal levels; psychosocial influences on health and well-being; and integrative analyses for understanding lifespan relations. A summa cum laude graduate from Arizona State University, Peggy received her doctorate in psychology in June 2010 from the University of California, Riverside (Dissertation: ‘Physical activity, personality, social contexts, and health: Interactions within a lifespan perspective’) and was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pennsylvania.

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