If there’s one thing Finns know how to do, it’s happiness. That’s according to the World Happiness Report 2024. The Nordic country has been named the happiest country in the world for the sixth year in a row. The annual survey draws on the self-reported levels of physical and mental health of citizens in each country. It helps shed light on this connection. Does our physical health affect our mental health – and vice versa?
Clearly, yes – and the Finns are a great example of this connection. “The high level of physical activity in Finland should be given more attention when talking about the happiness survey,” observes Dr. Raija Laukkanen. Director of Scientific Collaborations at Polar Electro (based in Finland). This is an important point, because according to a recent report by the World Health Organization, Finns are the most physically active people in Europe.
Indeed, Finland is one of the countries where people move the most on a daily basis. Whether it’s for walking or cycling to work. “In the Nordic countries, physical activity is ingrained in us from a young age, and our environment is the source of our energy,” adds Laukkanen.
So how do you start to understand and improve the mind-body connection? In this article, we’ll look at the relationship between physical and mental health, how mindset impacts your workouts. We’ll also cover the impact of exercise on your well-being, stress management through exercise, and the impact of outdoor physical activity on your body and mind.
The Relationship Between Physical Health and Mental Health
As the saying goes, a healthy body is a healthy mind. Yet while people have always been encouraged to take care of their physical fitness, talking about mental health has always been a taboo subject. This means that we have sometimes overlooked the benefits of physical exercise on our mental health. In turn, we have overlooked the benefits of feeling positive and motivated on our physical health.
Over the past few decades, research has led to a growing understanding that physical health and mental health are inextricably linked. Unfortunately, it’s often only when one of these parts of ourselves suffers that we see how it affects other aspects of our health.
For example, someone suffering from a mental illness such as depression is more likely to lack motivation and therefore be less likely to exercise regularly. Similarly, physical health problems such as severe asthma, heart disease or chronic hip pain, significantly increase the risk of suffering from mental health problems such as anxiety.
However, there is no need to focus only on the negative aspects when looking at the relationship between physical and mental health. So let’s first look at the benefits of a positive mindset.
Does a positive mindset improve your fitness?
There’s been some interesting research on the correlation between how much you exercise and how you perceive that amount to be compared to your peers. A 2015 study from the University of California, San Diego, explored the idea that if you see yourself as fit and athletic, you’ll feel encouraged to continue exercising to match that mindset.
Similarly, researchers at Stanford University looked at data from 61,000 adults over a 21-year period, and they found some interesting results. For the same amount of exercise, people who thought they exercised less than their peers died younger than those who thought they exercised more than others. Even factors like general health and smoking did little to change the effect of this mindset.
So how we mentally perceive our activity seems to have a huge impact on our physical health. But does physical exercise also improve our mental health?
Can exercise make you happy?
“Exercise is essentially medicine for the mind,” notes Teemu Vornanen , a sports and exercise medicine professional and brain health entrepreneur. But what happens to the brain when we exercise that makes us feel so good?
One of the first things you’ll probably notice is that exercise immediately improves your mood. That’s because aerobic activity increases the production of endorphins, the feel-good neurotransmitters in your brain. Your body does this to reduce your perception of the potential pain you might feel during exercise and encourage you to keep going.
Additionally, your body rewards you with a surge of two other mood-enhancing chemicals: dopamine, which is your brain’s way of rewarding you, and serotonin, which helps stabilize your mood and sense of well-being. Both of these chemicals contribute to the runner’s high while you’re sweating and linger in the brain for a few hours after exercise, which is why you feel so good (especially about yourself) after working out.
However, the long-term benefits aren’t limited to a few hours. When you exercise regularly, you’re essentially strengthening your mind and muscles, which changes the structure and function of your brain over time. One way this can happen is through a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).
“Exercise is basically medicine for the mind, so working your body will stimulate it as well.”
Teemu Vornanen
When you exercise, your body releases BDNF, which is primarily involved in the growth of new brain cells. It is also a key molecule involved in neuroplastic learning and memory changes in the hippocampus. Interestingly, people with depression and anxiety tend to have smaller hippocampi, and one of the effects of antidepressants is to increase BDNF production. So by exercising regularly, you can naturally stimulate the production of this molecule and help your brain grow and strengthen.
Using Exercise to Manage Stress
When it comes to the mental stress of everyday life, is it possible to physically get rid of it? Exercise requires a certain level of focus. Whether it’s a long hike or a quick HIIT session, it’s a great distraction from the irritating thoughts that plague you. Add to that the positive chemicals mentioned above. That means you’ll feel more upbeat, focused, and calm after your workout than you did before.
In fact, by increasing the amount of endorphins, serotonin, dopamine and adrenaline through physical activity, you not only put yourself in a better mood, but you also increase your self-confidence to deal with problems. A phenomenological study conducted in 2014 by Southern Illinois University in the United States showed that physical exercise was particularly effective in helping participants “cope with problems” and be satisfied with their lives by improving the connection between body and mind.
Regular exercise can also make you feel more relaxed, increase your self-confidence, and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. It can also help you sleep better , which will also improve your ability to manage stress. But it’s also important to remember not to overdo it. “Too much is too much,” says Vornanen. “You don’t want to put your body under chronic stress by overdoing it. There’s an upper limit at which excess exercise stops being helpful.”
Is outdoor exercise helpful?
“In Finland, being outdoors is very natural. We spend much more time than in other countries being outdoors, walking in the forest, camping, cycling to work,” says Laukkanen, a founding member of the International Nordic Walking Association. Does where you exercise also play an important role in the relationship between your physical and mental health?
Sunshine boosts mood by prompting the brain to produce serotonin. This production is boosted by exercise. Exposure to all those warm rays may also help prevent seasonal affective disorder (SAD). SAD is a form of “winter blues” caused by the changing seasons and often seen in people with low vitamin D levels.
“In Finland, it is completely natural to be outdoors. We spend much more time than in other countries being outdoors, walking in the forest, camping, riding our bikes to work.”
Dr. Raija Laukkanen
Spending time in nature is also beneficial for mental health, as proven by a wealth of research . Combine your exercise time with your time in nature. This approach allows you to effectively ensure you reap both benefits. But how does being outdoors impact the way you exercise?
“ Studies have shown that exercise feels lighter outdoors than indoors at the same intensity,” says Laukkanen. This means that the rate of perceived exertion when exercising in nature is lower, making it feel easier, even if it’s the same workout. This is also likely why people who exercise outdoors do it more often and for longer than those who exercise indoors. So it’s a win-win situation.
The best exercise to release endorphins
If you’re looking to exercise to improve your physical and mental health, is there a particular exercise you should try? “The best type of exercise for your brain is the one you enjoy, because enjoyment is the most important factor,” observes Vornanen. You’ll also be more likely to stick with a workout you enjoy, which is key to making regular exercise a part of your daily life.