Boost my mood

Physical
Self-care

Exercise Regularly

Physical activity is necessary for both our physical and mental health. Taking care of your body affects your overall well-being and it is important for reducing the risk of burn-out.1 Regular exercise leads to improved overall well-being and quality of life, it can increase your energy and mood, improve concentration, sleep and decrease stress and depression symptoms.2 

Regular exercise can result in similar, or even better effects as anti-depression medication like Zoloft.3 Just 30 minutes of exercise per day can lead to improved well-being.4

Exercise

Tips and recommendation

  • Get your body moving this week!
  • Pick three days that you will spend getting your body moving with at least 30 minutes of exercise.
  • Set aside a location and time (or you can write it in your calendar). This isn’t supposed to be a marathon-level of activity, it’s just about get your body moving a bit more than usual.
  • Try to find an activity that you do or you’d like to try, it can be for instance, running, dancing, doing yoga, exercising, swimming or just walking. The most important is to create a routine that works for you and be sure to take a moment to notice how much better you feel after getting some exercise in.

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Medical checkup

Medical check-ups

Mental and physical health are bidirectionally interconnected,1 with mental disorders contributing to physical diseases2 and vice versa.3/4 Many of frequently observed physical conditions, as for example cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases, diabetes, or obesity, are strongly associated with mental disorders.5/6/7

Good physical health is a protective factor against infectious diseases,8 as well as against mental disorders.9 The best way to decrease the risk of future chronic physical condition is prevention.10/11 Besides good lifestyle habits, regular medical check-ups are an important step to prevent both physical and mental disease or catch it early when there is the best chance to recover.12/13/14/15/16

Tips and recommendation

  • Do not neglect your physical health.
  • Decrease the risk of possible future complications now! Maintain a healthy lifestyle, physical exercises, balanced diet (without excess of sugar and salt) and regular sleep.
  • Avoid harmful substances such as tobacco or alcohol.
  • Follow your regular medical check-ups. Work with your primary care doctor to set health goals, as well as checking in regularly to ensure that also your physical health is on the right track. Especially, if you’re experiencing acute injuries, pain, illness, or mental health issues, you should contact a health-care provider immediately. 

Practice yoga

Yoga is originally based on ancient Indian philosophy. Today it is very popular amongst the population of the whole world. Many types of yoga exist today, for example Vinyasa, Hatha or Iyengar.1 In yoga, physical exercises are combined with diaphragmatic breathing which is typical for relaxation and has a calming effect. You can use diaphragming breathing to calm down even during your daily activities.2 

Practicing yoga improves mental health and well-being thanks to not only physical activity but also relaxation, awareness, regulation of breath and spirituality.3 Yoga has a lot of psychophysiological benefits. Yoga can improve sleep, general health, energy level, happiness and interpersonal relationships.4 Stress can be moderated and reduced effectively by yoga practice.5/6 

Yoga

Yoga has also both immediate and long-term effects on anxiety reduction.7 Additionally, yoga interventions are effective in reducing and preventing symptoms related to mental illnesses, including depression and anxiety and PTSD.8/9

Tips and recommendation

Before you start practicing yoga it is nice to know that the physical postures and exercises are called asanas and the breathing technique is called pranayama. When starting with yoga practice, try out different styles of yoga with various yoga teachers. That way you will find out which yoga style suits you the best. It is very important to find a good fit, which can vary from person to person.

  • Schools of yoga: Vinyasa, Hatha, Power etc.
  • Types of yoga: Hot yoga, Flow yoga, Gentle yoga etc. 

You may combine the different types or practice only one style and once in a while try a new one. It is up to you. For beginners it is better to attend lectured classes. It will motivate you, you will learn to breathe the right way and the teacher can correct you in positions. Once you have chosen the school and type of yoga which you enjoy, it can be helpful to sign up for a specific yoga class in your city that you will attend regularly. If you are an advanced yogi or due to the pandemic you cannot attend classes, try practicing yoga at home. 

  • Firstly, change into comfortable sports clothes and get yourself a yoga mat, or if you don’t have one at least a rug or something so that you don’t lie straight on the floor. Secondly, find yourself a calm space.
  • Devote some time only to yourself.
  • Don’t let anyone or anything distract you. You can even play relaxing music.

If you’re experienced you can practice yoga at your own pace. If you’d like guidance, there are thousands of free yoga videos online nowadays. You can also support your regular yoga teachers if they’re doing classes online, or you can learn the classic sun salutation. Dedicate yourself at least 15 undisrupted minutes.

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References

Exercice regularly
  1. Naczenski, L. M., de Vries, J. D., van Hooff, M. L., & Kompier, M. A. (2017). Systematic review of the association between physical activity and burnout. Journal of occupational health, 59(6), 477-494.
  2. Peluso, M. A. M., & Andrade, L. H. S. G. D. (2005). Physical activity and mental health: the association between exercise and mood. Clinics, 60(1), 61-70.
  3. Babyak, M., Blumenthal, J. A., Herman, S., Khatri, P., Doraiswamy, M., Moore, K., ... & Krishnan, K. R. (2000). Exercise treatment for major depression: maintenance of therapeutic benefit at 10 months. Psychosomatic medicine, 62(5), 633-638.
  4. Chekroud, S. R., Gueorguieva, R., Zheutlin, A. B., Paulus, M., Krumholz, H. M., Krystal, J. H., & Chekroud, A. M. (2018). Association between physical exercise and mental health in 1· 2 million individuals in the USA between 2011 and 2015: a cross-sectional study. The Lancet Psychiatry, 5(9), 739-746.
Medical check-ups
  1. Ohrnberger, J., Fichera, E., & Sutton, M. (2017). The relationship between physical and mental health: A mediation analysis. Social Science & Medicine, 195, 42-49
  2. Rugulies, R. (2002). Depression as a predictor for coronary heart disease: a review and meta-analysis. American journal of preventive medicine, 23(1), 51-61.
  3. Grigsby, A. B., Anderson, R. J., Freedland, K. E., Clouse, R. E., & Lustman, P. J. (2002). Prevalence of anxiety in adults with diabetes: a systematic review. Journal of psychosomatic research, 53(6), 1053–1060. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0022-3999(02)00417-8
  4. Hackett, M. L., & Anderson, C. S. (2005). Predictors of depression after stroke: a systematic review of observational studies. Stroke, 36(10), 2296–2301. doi.org/10.1161/01.STR.0000183622.75135.a4
  5. Himelhoch, S., Lehman, A., Kreyenbuhl, J., Daumit, G., Brown, C., & Dixon, L. (2004). Prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among those with serious mental illness. American Journal of Psychiatry, 161(12), 2317-2319.
  6. Leucht, S., Burkard, T., Henderson, J., Maj, M., & Sartorius, N. (2007). Physical illness and schizophrenia: a review of the literature. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 116(5), 317-333.
  7. Hackett, M. L., & Anderson, C. S. (2005). Predictors of depression after stroke: a systematic review of observational studies. Stroke, 36(10), 2296–2301. doi.org/10.1161/01.STR.0000183622.75135.a4
  8. Yang, J., Zheng, Y., Gou, X., Pu, K., Chen, Z., Guo, Q., ... & Zhou, Y. (2020). Prevalence of comorbidities in the novel Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis. International journal of infectious diseases.
  9. Bohman, H., Låftman, S. B., Cleland, N., Lundberg, M., Päären, A., & Jonsson, U. (2018). Somatic symptoms in adolescence as a predictor of severe mental illness in adulthood: a long-term community-based follow-up study. Child and adolescent psychiatry and mental health, 12, 42. doi.org/10.1186/s13034-018-0245-0
  10. Kahn, R., Robertson, R. M., Smith, R., & Eddy, D. (2008). The impact of prevention on reducing the burden of cardiovascular disease. Circulation, 118(5), 576-585.
  11. Wang, L. Y., Denniston, M., Lee, S., Galuska, D., & Lowry, R. (2010). Long-term health and economic impact of preventing and reducing overweight and obesity in adolescence. Journal of Adolescent Health, 46(5), 467-473.
  12. Sofi, F., Valecchi, D., Bacci, D., Abbate, R., Gensini, G. F., Casini, A., & Macchi, C. (2011). Physical activity and risk of cognitive decline: a meta‐analysis of prospective studies. Journal of internal medicine, 269(1), 107-117.
  13. Sofi, F., Capalbo, A., Cesari, F., Abbate, R., & Gensini, G. F. (2008). Physical activity during leisure time and primary prevention of coronary heart disease: an updated meta-analysis of cohort studies. European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention & Rehabilitation, 15(3), 247-257.
  14. Ahn, S., & Fedewa, A. L. (2011). A meta-analysis of the relationship between children’s physical activity and mental health. Journal of pediatric psychology, 36(4), 385-397.
  15. Kahn, R., Robertson, R. M., Smith, R., & Eddy, D. (2008). The impact of prevention on reducing the burden of cardiovascular disease. Circulation, 118(5), 576-585.
  16. Penttilä, M., Jääskeläinen, E., Hirvonen, N., Isohanni, M., & Miettunen, J. (2014). Duration of untreated psychosis as predictor of long-term outcome in schizophrenia: systematic review and meta-analysis. The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science, 205(2), 88–94.
Practice yoga
  1. Büssing, A., Michalsen, A., Khalsa, S.B.S., Telles, S., Sherman, K.J. (2012). Effects of Yoga on Mental and Physical Health: A Short Summary of Reviews. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Article ID 165410, 7 pages. doi.org/10.1155/2012/165410
  2. Nešpor, K. (2017). Fyzická aktivita a jóga: jejich působení na psychiku. Cognitive Remediation Journal, 6(1), 16-23. doi: 10.5507/crj.2017.002.
  3. Nešpor, K. (2017). Fyzická aktivita a jóga: jejich působení na psychiku. Cognitive Remediation Journal, 6(1), 16-23. doi: 10.5507/crj.2017.002.
  4. Ross, A., Friedmann, E., Bevans, M., Thomas, S. (2013). National survey of yoga practitioners: Mental and physical health benefits. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 21(4), 313-323. ISSN 0965-2299, doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2013.04.001.
  5. Nešpor, K. (2017). Fyzická aktivita a jóga: jejich působení na psychiku. Cognitive Remediation Journal, 6(1), 16-23. doi: 10.5507/crj.2017.002.
  6. Büssing, A., Michalsen, A., Khalsa, S.B.S., Telles, S., Sherman, K.J. (2012). Effects of Yoga on Mental and Physical Health: A Short Summary of Reviews. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Article ID 165410, 7 pages.
  7. Gururaja, D., Harano, K., Toyotake, I., & Kobayashi, H. (2011). Effect of yoga on mental health: Comparative study between young and senior subjects in Japan. International journal of yoga, 4(1), 7–12. doi.org/10.4103/0973-6131.78173
  8. Bridges, L., Sharma, M. (2017) The Efficacy of Yoga as a Form of Treatment for Depression. Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine, 22(4), 1017-1028.
  9. Telles, S., Singh, N., Balkrishna, A. (2012). Managing Mental Health Disorders Resulting from Trauma through Yoga: A Review. Depression Research Treatment, Article ID 401513, 9 pages. doi.org/10.1155/2012/401513
  10. Büssing, A., Michalsen, A., Khalsa, S.B.S., Telles, S., Sherman, K.J. (2012). Effects of Yoga on Mental and Physical Health: A Short Summary of Reviews. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Article ID 165410, 7 pages.
 
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