Medicine for the mind: using exercise as a tool for moving beyond life's crises

While a person is under stress or recovering, I recommend daily exercise appropriate for the individual to increase energy and sense of well-being. This can particularly make a difference after a loss, trauma or stress."

The person making the above statement is not a fitness expert promoting an exercise video, but psychotherapist and author Judy Tatelbaum. Tatelbaum has dedicated her life and private practice to working with people who suffer intense losses and acute traumas. Her goal is to help people heal from their crises. In her book, You Don't Have To Suffer: A Handbook For Moving Beyond Life's Crises, (HarperCollins, $8.95), she cites exercise as one of the important "tools for healing" which hurting people can utilize.

It is well known that exercise results in many physical benefits. These include improving the operating efficiency of various body parts (muscles, lungs, circulatory system and heart), aiding in digestion, cutting down on bone-mineral loss associated with aging and lowering stress levels. Less known is the fact a sound exercise program also improves mental health. Here are seven examples.

1. Exercise boosts memory.

Most people have been frustrated by forgetting where they placed their keys or parked their car. Such experiences often lead people to conclude their memory is weakening. However, research reveals that exercise "jogs" the mind. A weak and inefficient cardiovascular system has a detrimental effect on memory. Studies show that adults who exercise aerobically increase blood flow to brain which, in turn, leads to better memory.

One study randomly placed volunteers, who ranged in age from 55 to 70, into three groups. One group did aerobic exercise in the form of walking three times per week for 45-minute periods. A second group did calisthenics, and a third group did not exercise. At the beginning of the study, all three groups were similar in terms of oxygen consumption, level of physical fitness, memory and mental dexterity. However, at the end of the study, the oxygen consumption of the aerobics group was substantially higher than that of the other two groups. Over a four-month period, mean scores for the aerobics group improved in five out of seven tests for memory and mental dexterity, while the other two showed no major change.

2. Exercise builds self-esteem.

After five years of marriage, Kim, 31, returned home to an empty house. "My husband, without warning, walked out on me," she recalls. "He took all of our belongings and emptied our bank accounts. I was in shock. I was sure it was somehow all my fault. My selfesteem hit bottom." Depressed, Kim turned to food for solace. "I totally lost control of my eating habits," she adds. "The more I ate, the more weight I gained. I eventually carried 230 pounds on my small 5'3" body."

A friend urged Kim to begin an exercise program. Kim joined an aerobics class and became more careful about her diet. Positive results emerged almost immediately. "My weight began to drop, and the exercise also turned out to be a great stress reducer," she says. "As my body got lighter, so did my mood. My circle of friends expanded, and all my self-doubt vanished. I lost nearly 110 pounds and comfortably maintain my weight through exercise and proper eating habits."

3. Exercise lifts depression.

While everyone gets the blues at one time or another, some experience intense depression for prolonged periods. Left unresolved, depression can sap energy, suppress the libido, hinder the ability to concentrate, produce sleep disorders, and generally hamper enjoyment of life. One effective remedy is literally to sweat it out. "Exercise is a fabulous way to relieve depression," says Dennis Gersten, M.D. "Aerobic exercise, such as walking, running, swimming or bicycling, chemically affects your brain and can reverse the effects of even a major depression."

4. Exercise eases the pain of grief.

Exercise is medicine for the mind when there has been a loss due to separation, divorce or death. Dorothy, a California mom, began walking to deal with the death of her daughter. "Walking helped me avoid depression and kept me sane after my beautiful daughter was killed last year," she says. "It allowed me to process my grief and anguish. I just got off the floor and did it, even on days when I wanted to curl up and die. I celebrated my 60th birthday by walking in the Honolulu Marathon, and I have saved thousands of dollars on therapy."

5. Exercise makes you feel and look younger.

People who exercise regularly gain several benefits--their muscles become toned, appearance is improved, and they generally feel and look younger. One example is Jane Fonda, pioneer of the first fitness video in 1982. Although she is nearly 60 years old, Fonda looks much younger. In a recent interview, she was asked why she was still motivated to exercise and make videos. "I think it's great that I'm 57 and still look good," she said. "It's important to show people you don't have to fall apart. Since we have a much longer life span, why not make it quality time?"