Time

By Dr. Tanya Berry, Alberta Centre for Active Living

I’m stressed this week. Lots going on at work. Home life is dominated by renovations. Busy, busy. I barely have the time to write my blog. I’m tempted to not go for a run and to skip my soccer practice. I’ve got data to collect and presentations to prepare. My research assistants are neglected, and the cat hasn’t been scratched behind the ears for a few days.

It’s at times like this that the average North American finds that their physical activity falls to the bottom of the priority list.

But what would help is a bit more exercise.

Really. “Lack of time” is often cited as the number one reason why people don’t exercise, so it’s not too surprising that if you try to tell people that some exercise will reduce their stress, the response isn’t great. “You don’t seriously think that adding something else into my schedule is going to reduce my stress?”

Well, yes, I do, and here’s the argument why: across multiple research studies, physical activity is associated with positive mental health, including higher self-esteem, well-being and health-related quality of life.

There’s also strong evidence that being active can improve mood and help with the symptoms of depression and anxiety. In fact, exercise is effective in treating clinical depression across different ages, from young adults through middle-aged and older adults. There’s even evidence that exercise can benefit those who suffer from severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia.

I know all this. This is not news to me, and probably not to many of you either. Yet I’m still considering skipping soccer tonight, so that I can put another coat of Varathane on the kitchen cupboards. Knowing something doesn’t mean that you’re actually going to do it, as so many people in the health promotion business know.

But having written this, I’m pretty sure I’ll go to soccer practice tonight. It will be a struggle at the outset, but I have to remind myself that I generally come back after such an excursion with a much clearer head. Maybe I’ll be refreshed and less stressed, so that I’ll be able to figure out how to work that experience into an effective health promotion message.

Maybe.