How Physiotherapy Benefits Your Mental Health

Often physiotherapy is associated with pain relief and recovery, but these kinds of physical services can help improve your overall mental state and well-being. Many patients often report an improvement in their emotional health as physiotherapy services not only get you moving to release endorphins, but patients learn to manage and prevent their pain. In this article, we’re discussing how physiotherapy is linked to mental health and boosts your mood.

How is Physiotherapy and Exercise Linked to Good Mental Health?

When you experience physical pain, it negatively affects your mental state and causes distress. Because physiotherapy works to help you manage and relieve either chronic pain or pain from an injury. This, in turn, can alleviate emotional stress.

Top Mental Health Benefits from Physiotherapy and Exercise

Physiotherapy and exercise can provide the following benefits to your mental health:

  • Regulate your mood: Exercise and movement are essential for your overall well-being as they release chemicals known as serotonin and endorphins from your brain, which are known to boost and regulate your mood.
  • Reduce anxiety and stress: Not only can exercise improve your mood, but it is known to reduce stress and anxiety, help with symptoms of depressions and even improve your quality of sleep.
  • Improves memory and brain function: When you begin exercising, blood is pumped to the brain, which helps with concentration and reduced brain fog. It can also improve memory as it increases the connections between the nerve cells in your brain and the size of your hippocampus, the part of your brain responsible for memory.
  • Increases energy and stamina: Any form of movement that gets your heart rate going and increases the blood flow throughout your body will strengthen your heart. Having good cardiovascular health improves your everyday energy level and builds up your stamina. 

How to Get Started

If you want more physical activity in your lifestyle, starting small with 10-15 minutes a day can make a difference in your mental health. It’s recommended to do at least 30 minutes of physical activity per day 3-5 times a week to see a good improvement in your mental state. If chronic pain is a barrier for you to get back into an active lifestyle, book an appointment with a physiotherapist. Your physiotherapist can create a personal plan to help you reduce and manage your pain. Practicing your exercises and stretches can be great for beginner everyday physical activity.

If motivation and time are the biggest obstacles in your life, below you can read our top tips for staying on track.

  • Try new activities and stick to forms of exercise you enjoy;
  • Get support of peers and hold each other accountable;
  • Set reasonable goals i.e 10 minutes of stretching a day or a 15-minute walk per day.
  • Reward yourself after achieving your goals whether its some ice cream; or
  • Make it a social activity, do group activities with your friends.

If you would like to learn more about our physiotherapy services, check out the conditions we treat or reach out today by calling us at 604-332-4486 or ask us a question at this contact form here.