How Exercise Enhances Mental Health in Recovery Process

Exercise may be the key to addiction treatment

For all the attention on talk therapy and medication, physical fitness might be the secret weapon in helping people achieve recovery. It’s not about weight loss, muscle tone or having “fitspiration” goals. Exercise is literally changing the brain’s structure to support long-term sobriety.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

• The science connecting physical fitness and addiction recovery
• The mental health benefits of exercise
• Why physical activity reduces the risk of relapse
• The types of exercise that work best for recovery

Physical activity changes brain chemistry during addiction recovery

The age-old advice to “go for a walk when you’re stressed” has merit, but the reason exercise is so beneficial is proven by medical science.

Physical health issues that come with addiction recovery often include anxiety and depression that make sobriety a daily struggle. Exercise can address those problems at their core by altering brain chemistry.

This is what happens:

Movement leads to the release of endorphins and dopamine – the feel-good neurotransmitters that drugs and alcohol artificially stimulate. When recovering at facilities like Hackettstown drug and alcohol rehab, natural chemical boosts through exercise can make a big difference for maintaining control over cravings and mood swings.

But there’s more to it than neurotransmitters…

Regular physical activity also reduces inflammation, improves sleep quality and balances the stress response system. All of these factors play a huge role in long-term sobriety and staying clean.

The mental health boost exercise provides keeps people sober

Depression and anxiety aren’t fun to live with, but they’re serious obstacles to recovery.

They increase the risk of relapse and make every day a battle. Exercise can be the game changer here. Studies show exercise is 1.5 times more effective than medication in treating the symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Yup, you read that right.

Exercise outperforms prescription drugs when it comes to improving mood and lowering mental health symptoms. This is a huge win for those in recovery, as it allows them to combat co-occurring disorders without introducing more medications into their treatment plan.

Exercise reduces depression fast

Walking and jogging produced moderate to significant reductions in depressive symptoms in one study. Yoga and strength training had similar effects. Even just 30 minutes of movement three to four times per week can make a difference.

The best part? The benefits can show up within a few weeks, not months.

Anxiety gets crushed too

Physical activity delivers relief from situational anxiety in as little as 20-30 minutes. More vigorous activity provides stronger benefits, but even a moderate walk will do the trick. This matters because anxiety often triggers cravings and makes sobriety feel impossible.

Exercise gives people a healthy alternative to using substances as a coping mechanism.

Why does exercise help prevent relapse?

Staying sober is hard because it requires a person to successfully navigate daily life without returning to substances as the solution.

Addiction exercise provides a shield against relapse on multiple levels.

Here’s how it works:

Curbing cravings

Alarm signals from the brain in abstinence can make cravings feel overwhelming. But exercise reduces the frequency and intensity of these urges through a natural dopamine boost. Exercise provides a healthy activity to replace the “just one drink” mentality, so people are no longer fighting cravings with willpower alone.

Replacing triggers

Addiction recovery means learning to avoid old places, routines and people that act as relapse triggers. Physical activity creates new positive routines and social connections in the process. Joining a running club or taking a gym class puts people in a sober environment that supports their goals, rather than endangering them.

Building confidence

Believing in yourself and that change is possible is an important part of any addiction recovery. Exercise helps to rebuild self-esteem through providing progress and a sense of accomplishment. Each completed workout becomes further evidence that positive change is possible.

Recovery statistics prove exercise helps

The proof is in the numbers when it comes to exercise and recovery. Physical activity isn’t just good for the body, it significantly improves addiction health outcomes.

Check out this statistic: In 2022, 48.7 million U.S. individuals aged 12 and older in the United States reported having a substance use disorder or experiencing problems from substance use. That’s a lot of people who can benefit from adding physical activity to their recovery plan.

But here’s the encouraging part…

Of people who recover, 92.6% rated their mental health positively. This means that treatment is working beyond just stopping substance use, it’s helping to create an improved overall quality of life.

Which exercises have the best results?

Certain types of exercise seem to provide the biggest benefits for those in recovery. These are activities that provide physical and mental benefits, are easy to access and low cost.

The top performers include:

Walking and jogging

Demonstrate the most consistent results in studies when it comes to depression reduction in addiction recovery. Free, accessible and can be done just about anywhere, walking is the perfect starting point. Just 20 to 40 minutes most days will produce results.

Strength training

Eliminates depression and anxiety while providing a visible boost in physical confidence. Lifting weights also provides structure and clear progress points to track, both of which are important factors for people rebuilding their lives.

Yoga

Moves the body while combining mindfulness techniques to address physical and mental health at the same time. Learning to breathe and quiet the mind also helps with stress and cravings.

Group exercise classes

The social aspect shouldn’t be ignored either. Accountability and connection play a big role in long-term recovery success, so having workout buddies provides encouragement. Group activities also provide positive peer pressure to maintain healthy habits.

Starting an exercise program during addiction recovery

Getting started with physical activity after substance abuse doesn’t have to be complicated.

Slow and steady wins the race here. Jumping into high intensity workouts too early leads to injury and burnout. Just 10 to 15 minutes a day of walking the first week will lead to progress.

Pick something that feels fun and rewarding, not like punishment. Hate running? Go swimming instead or try dancing. The most sustainable activities are those that people stick with for the long haul.

Goal setting tips for building an exercise program:

• Start with 2 to 3 sessions per week
• Work up to 30 to 40 minutes per workout
• Mix and match activities for variety
• Listen to the body and rest when needed

Tracking progress is also a key motivation tool. Using an app or simple journal to record workouts makes people more likely to see continued improvement and build momentum.

The long-term benefits add up

Exercise isn’t a band-aid solution for the problems people in recovery face.

Physical activity provides long-term benefits that create a solid foundation for sustained sobriety. Movement improves sleep quality, which helps to regulate mood and reduce cravings. This translates into better decision-making and improved emotional control.

Improving physical health also boosts confidence and self-esteem. When people start to look and feel better physically, it carries over to a greater sense of capability in all areas of life.

Social connections formed through exercise are a huge benefit too:

• Built-in accountability partners
• Positive peer pressure to stick with healthy habits
• New friendships based on wellness rather than substances
• A sense of belonging and community

These connections are crucial during the times when relapse risk is highest.

The bottom line

Exercise changes recovery by helping to address root causes of relapse.

It rewires brain chemistry, reduces mental health symptoms and provides a healthy coping strategy. The stats and science back it up, and the millions of people in recovery all over the world who are living proof.

Starting doesn’t require a gym membership or fancy equipment. Simply commit to moving the body in some capacity every day and build from there. Walk around the block, take a fitness class or just dance around the house. The important thing is to take that first step.

Addiction recovery is a lot of work, and exercise makes it just slightly easier by providing natural mood boosts, fewer cravings and improved mental health. That combination gives the people fighting addiction the best possible chance at building a life that makes staying sober worthwhile.