Nearly every person has had problems with their mental health or has known someone who has. There are many ways to deal with mental health, such as psychotherapy, exercise and in some severe cases prescription drugs. While options like psychotherapy and prescription drugs can be effective, they are not available everywhere and can oftentimes rack up a hefty bill. On the other hand exercise by oneself is cost free and can be done anywhere and better exercise curriculums can be implemented into schools relatively easily. This is why exercising is the most cost effective and accessible method to help improve mental health. 

With the stigma around talking about mental health disappearing, and society being as stressful as ever, issues with mental health are becoming increasingly apparent. More and more studies are being done on mental health and they are all coming back with the same conclusion, mental health is less-than-stellar in the general population. The study “Mental Health in Adolescence: Is America’s Youth Flourishing?” conducted by Corey L. M. Keyes questioned 1,234 people ages 12 to 18 to investigate the level of positive mental health in youth and how it is associated with different conduct problems. Keyes categorized levels of mental health in three levels; languishing, moderately mentally health, and flourishing. According to Keyes’ study 51.2% of 12 to 14 year olds were only moderately mentally healthy or languishing. The amount of people who had flourishing mental health decreased as their age increased, only 39.9% of 15 to 18 year olds had flourishing mental health (398). Similar results were found in the study “Lifestyle and mental health”, conducted by Claudia Blackburn et al. Blackburn et al surveyed 621 adults in Amarillo, Texas with the objective of finding how a person's lifestyle affects how they rate their own mental health. They found that 87.2% of respondents classified themselves as having good mental health, while the other 12.8% classified themselves as having poor mental health (439). While these results are not as extreme as Keyes’ findings, they are done on a different age group and still show that a large portion of people are or at least consider themselves mentally unhealthy. Keyes' study also found that decreasing mental health correlated with increasing amounts of conduct problems including; arrests, skipping school, smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, smoking marijuana, and the use of inhalants. With these many startling facts it is clear that there is a dire need for the improvement of mental health. 

Exercise is a very promising solution to this mental health crisis. Good mental health has been proven to be more common in people who engage in physical activity than in those who do not. “Persons who exercised five or more times each week were much more likely to report good mental health than persons who reported no exercise. Even one day of exercise was somewhat protective” (Blackburn 440). In the book Sport, Fitness, Culture by Volkwein Caplan et al a study is mentioned where it was found that people with the highest percentage of satisfaction with their lives, at 65.8%, were people who exercise daily. People who never exercised only had 48.1% of its members satisfied with their lives, which proves there is a correlation between exercise and being satisfied with life (84). This study is relevant because being satisfied with one's life is a key component to good mental health.

Theories are debated behind why and how exercise positively affects mental health. The article “Exercise and mental health” by Vasso Apostolopoulos et al compiles together numerous ways that exercise affects people physically and physiologically which in turn improves mental health. One specific reason behind why exercise affects mental health according to Apostolopoulos et al is the Endorphin Hypothesis. The main job of endorphins is to assist the body in persisting through periods of extreme pain and stress. After intense training sessions athletes report feelings of euphoria better known as “runners high”, which is suspected to be caused by increased endorphin levels caused by exercising. However the results supporting the endorphin hypothesis may not be reliable. This is due to the fact that endorphin levels are measured through serum levels which may not always match endorphin levels. The only other way to measure endorphin levels would be through a highly invasive procedure which itself would change endorphin levels and alter results (Apostolopoulos 50). 

Exercise also increases the health of mitochondria in the brain which play an important role in good mental health. Healthy mitochondria means good neuroplasticity, which is the brain's ability to adapt to certain stimuli. Poor neuroplasticity is thought to be a cause of poor mental health because it inhibits the brain from fighting back against depression and mood disorders. “It is well documented that exercise/physical activity is directly related to increased mitochondriogenesis, and that individuals who primarily undertake aerobic training, show an increase in mitochondrial numbers and oxygen utilization capabilities”. Focusing on mitochondrial function can be an effective treatment for mood related disorders such as depression (Apostolopoulos 51). The endorphin hypothesis and the mitochondrial function are just a few examples that Apostolopoulos et al have compiled in their article over the positive effects of exercises on mental health. 

  Besides the more normal mental health problems, exercise can even help prevent and lessen the effects of psychiatric disorders. According to the book Exercise for Mood and Anxiety Disorders by Micheal J. Otto et al the difference between low mental health and a psychiatric disorder is that disorders last much longer and impede basic functioning. Psychiatric disorders can rage from PTSD all the way to conditions such as major depression.

Individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder who completed 2 weeks of stationary bike aerobic exercise reported significant clinical reductions in posttraumatic stress disorder severity. Even after a single bout of exercise (either yoga or aerobic exercise) in patients with schizophrenia, showed significant decreased anxiety and psychological stress and increased subjective wellbeing compared to patients with schizophrenia with no exercise (Apostolopoulos 49).

Exercise has also been found to significantly decrease rates of major depression “from 1 out of every 6 adults to only 1 out of every 12” (Otto 9). These excerpts prove that exercise has such a positive effect on the mind that it not only improves mental health but can help combat the extremes of psychiatric disorders.

There are alternative methods to improving mental health other than exercise like psychotherapy and drugs such as antidepressants. These alternatives may seem easier than exercise but they cost money and may not be as effective. Antidepressants are used to rebalance neurotransmitters levels, most notably serotonin. The production of serotonin is increased by exercise in the same way as antidepressant medication (Otto 11-12). Antidepressants, unlike exercise, can also cause weight gain by “slowing metabolic rate, increasing water retention, and/or increasing appetite”(Caplan 103). Research even suggests that exercise can improve mental health as much as psychotherapy (Apostolopoulos 48-49). If a person does choose therapy or medication, exercise can easily be combined with either. Exercise is a great balance for the “more talking, understanding, feeling and planning” of psychotherapy and can help fight the possible weight gain caused by antidepressants (Otto).

While exercise is a very effective way to improve mental health it can sometimes seem difficult to fit into a person's schedule. The book Creative fitness: applying health psychology and exercise science to everyday life by Henry B. Biller states that “Less than 40% of American adults engage in vigorous activity on a regular basis … This leaves more than 60% who are not active on a regular basis with about 25% having a consistently sedentary lifestyle.” This overall lack in exercise can partially be attributed to three psychological processes “focalism, fantasy effects, and delay discounting.” “Focalism” is when scheduling errors occur because of not considering other demands and activities in life. This is due to the fact that “Future times always look wide open; in reality, it is as busy and demanding as the present”. (Otto 26) Secondly are “fantasy effects” which are when people fantasize about the  benefits of exercise which become satisfying enough that they have less want to actually exercise. The “fantasy effect” is why “Accurate planning about the steps needed to reach good health is linked to following through with activities” (Otto 26-27). The final concept is “delay discounting” which is when rewards that take time and work to obtain seem less meaningful because of the wait time (Otto 27-28). “Delay discounting” can be seen when someone chooses to sit down and watch a movie instead of doing a workout. People will often choose the movie because it gives more immediate satisfaction while the benefits of exercise may be even better but take time and therefore seem less meaningful. 

To not fall victim to concepts such as these, people need to find what method of exercise fits them best. The most important thing a person should think about when starting to exercise is that “Exercise should be playful not painful” (Biller 48). Exercising for the soul purpose of improving mental health should be done as comfortably as possible because the more a person enjoys the exercise they are doing the easier it is for them to stick with it. During workouts people also need to make sure that they are focused on how they feel and not what other people might be thinking about them (Biller 50).  When deciding what to do during a workout some people might prefer to find a pre-planned exercise program while others might enjoy creating their own personalized workouts. To save time, exercises can easily be done at home with or without equipment. Alternatively exercising can be done at a local gym or YMCA. Joining an athletic team as an athlete or even a coach is a great way to exercise with people who share the same interests (Biller 55). If exercising becomes boring a change in scenery might be the answer, such as going on a jog through the park instead of running on the treadmill. “There is no one exersize approach that is best for everyone” (Biller 50). The key to finding a workout that works best for a person's mental health is to personally tailor it to be fun, effective, and sustainable. 

If better opportunities are given to people at a younger age to learn the positive effects of exercise and different ways exercise can be done, then more people will grow up knowing how and why they should exercise. In turn, better physical education aids in better mental health. According to Biller, “Often, children spend much of their time in gym class standing around with little activity devoted to fitness endeavors.” Topping this of only a small percentage of teachers have any training in teaching children how to develop good exercise habits. (39) There is an urgent need for reform in the physical education system. According to the book Handbook of Physical Education Research by Ricky Todaro physical education is a “cultural lag”. This “cultural lag” is on account of the fact that the physical education system was created in the first three decades of the 20th century and has not been changed much since. (Todaro 52) Physical education programs have not kept up with society and nowadays “are unable to achieve desired outcomes. In worse cases, they inadvertently cause harm” (Todaro 52). 

To start fixing this problem physical education courses need to be implemented into schools where students are graded on criteria such as participation and performance. These courses must be completed or students should not be allowed to graduate. Schools must also customize the physical education program for their school and move away from the one type that fits all programs. Parents should be provided reports on their children's physical activity interests and proficiency so they can help address problems and grow interests outside of school (Todaro 53). Todaro suggests one, more drastic idea to replace standard schools with “muli-service and community schools” (63). These new schools provide many more after school opportunities for parents and families along with students. 

For the greatest improvement in mental health, schools need to pair improved physical education with other changes. According to the article Improving mental health in schools by Katherine C. Cowan et al children who receive mental health treatment usually first receive it from schools. Schools have a very important responsibility of setting children on the right path to deal with their mental health. Besides improving physical education, Cowan suggests that schools implement mental health screening where students who might be at risk for mental health problems can be helped as quickly as possible. 

Declining mental health is an ever growing problem and better exercise habits are the most readily available and cost effective option, whether it be in or outside of schools. Good mental health is very important because bad mental health can be a big drag on a person's life and possibly lead to mental illnesses.  If the benefits of exercise on mental health are not promoted and people, and schools do not take the initiative to change, then mental health may never start improving.

Works Cited

Apostolopoulos, Vasso, et al. "Exercise and Mental Health." Maturitas, vol. 106, Dec. 2017, pp. 48-56. ScienceDirect.

Biller, Henry B. Creative fitness : applying health psychology and exercise science to everyday life. Auburn House, 2002, pp. 12-169. EBSCO.

Blackburn, Claudia E., et al. "Lifestyle and mental health." Preventive Medicine, vol. 40, no. 4, Apr. 2005, pp. 438-442. ScienceDirect, doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2004.07.003.

Caplan, Volkwein, and Karin A. E. Sport, Fitness, Culture. 1st ed., Meyer & Meyer Sport (UK) Ltd., 2014, pp. 14-186. EBSCO.

Cowan, Katherine C., and Eric Rossen. "Improving mental health in schools." Phi Delta Kappan, vol. 96, no. 4, Dec. 2014, p. 8. Gale OneFile High School Edition.

Keyes, Corey. "Mental Health in Adolescence: Is America's Youth Flourishing?" American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, vol. 76, no. 3, 1 July 2006, pp. 395-402. EBSCO, doi:10.1037/0002-9432.

Todaro, Ricky. Handbook of physical education research : role of school programs, children's attitudes and health implications. Nova Science Publishers, 2004, pp. 1-68. EBSCO.

Otto, Michael W., and Jasper A. Smits. Exercise for Mood and Anxiety Disorders : Therapist Guide. Oxford University Press, Inc, 2009, pp. 7-22. EBSCO.