Longstanding research has found that exercise that increases our cardiovascular activity brings a number of health benefits, including lowered blood pressure; improved cardiovascular health; strengthening of the immune system; regulation of weight; and moderation of blood sugar. Interestingly, it appears that vigorous aerobic activity (maintaining more than 60% of aerobic capacity) brings greater cardiovascular health benefit than moderate activity. Exercise therapy has been found to improve a measure called heart rate variability, which is associated with greater levels of psychological well-being and resilience in the face of stress. One strand of research finds that aerobic exercise conducted in a mindful state (i.e., with enhanced self-awareness, such as yoga and Feldenkrais) brings greater mood benefits than routine vigorous or moderate cardio workouts. Many of the activities we associate with self-development, from counseling and psychotherapy to meditation, are pursued in a state of reduced physical activity and enhanced self-awareness. Might it be the case that vigorous aerobic activity is an equally promising path toward emotional well-being and a positive psychology?
According to the National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, yoga, a discipline of “meditative movement” is associated with such benefits as stress relief, pain reduction, and emotional well-being. There is also evidence that yoga also improves the aforementioned heart rate variability and lessens symptoms of depression. In an excellent review article, Julia Belluz notes the limitations of much of the research on the benefits of yoga, but cites fascinating evidence that yoga may be uniquely helpful in reducing inflammation in the body. Similar amounts of time spent in yoga and general physical activity yield greater inflammation benefit for the yoga participants, presumably because of the added components of mindfulness.
In a review of brief approaches to psychotherapy that I conducted with two colleagues at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, an important conclusion was that these methods are effective to the degree that they generate novel, constructive experiences for clients. Such “corrective emotional experiences” deal with maladaptive patterns of emotion and behavior by activating more constructive ones. Thus, for instance, when a client retreats from a therapist out of fear of rejection, the therapist may encourage engagement and provide an active experience of acceptance and understanding. Such emotional experiences are readily internalized, helping people build new modes of construing and doing. This is the basis for many behavioral and cognitive therapies, where we learn to face and challenge our patterns of anxiety, negative thinking, and depression in emotionally impactful ways.
The unexpected benefits of aerobic exercise, yoga, and similar disciplines may arise from their ability to provide similar corrective emotional experiences, albeit outside of a therapeutic relationship. Through vigorous exercise, we directly challenge our limits and experience ourselves as efficacious and achieving. Through mindful movement, we experience enhanced levels of self-control and mastery. A great example of this occurs among the money managers and traders I work with, who make active use of meditation to deal with the stresses of markets and their inherent risks and uncertainty. In the midst of threat, direct experiences of calm and focus promote a unique experience of the self as being “in control”, facilitating sound decision-making. Exercise, like coaching, counseling, and psychotherapy, is a vehicle for generating fresh experiences of the self, reinforcing and expanding our strengths.
In recent articles, I’ve explored the psychological benefits of living a purposeful life and the importance of emotionally connecting with a positive vision of our future selves. All of these can be paths toward emotional resilience, increased mindfulness, and an enhanced capacity to pursue life goals. In a recent interview, Steven Goldstein and Mark Randall explore the mindfulness associated with special forces operations, highlighting the idea of “mindfitness”. A well-constructed program of exercise, expanding our abilities to extend our limits and sustain self-control and efficacy, provides a uniquely effective form of self-development—a promising therapy for the mentally well and program for mindfitness.
