The Benefits of Exercise for People With PTSD

The Benefits of Exercise for People With PTSD PTSD Treatment Print The Benefits of Exercise for People With PTSD By Matthew Tull, PhD twitter Matthew Tull, PhD is a professor of psychology at the University of Toledo, specializing in post-traumatic stress disorder. Learn about our editorial policy Matthew Tull, PhD Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on August 05, 2016 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on January 03, 2020 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Overview Symptoms & Diagnosis Causes & Risk Factors Treatment Living With In Children Peter Cade/The Image Bank/Getty Images Low rates of exercise among people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may explain why many people with PTSD have been found to be at high risk for a number of physical health problems, such as obesity, heart disease, pain, and diabetes. There may be several reasons why people with PTSD are less likely to exercise. Why People With PTSD Exercise Less First, exercise can increase bodily arousal. Your heart might race. You may experience shortness of breath. Although most people dont think twice about these symptoms, if you have PTSD, you may be particularly hesitant to experience this arousal. Many people with PTSD fear bodily symptoms that are associated with anxiety, such as increased heart rate and shortness of breath. They also may fear that bodily arousal from exercise might cause their hyperarousal symptoms to worsen. As a result, they may try to avoid exercise or any other activity that increases bodily arousal. In addition, PTSD is associated with a higher risk of experiencing depression. When youre depressed, you may experience low motivation, low energy, and have a tendency to isolate yourself. Given this, its possible that if you have symptoms of depression along with your PTSD, this might prevent you from exercising. Finally, people with PTSD engage in more unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking and alcohol use. These behaviors may make it more difficult for someone with PTSD to start an exercise program. Link Between PTSD and Depression Exercise Benefits With PTSD Whether or not you have PTSD, regular exercise has a number of benefits. It can contribute to many positive physical health outcomes, such as improved cardiovascular health, weight loss, and greater flexibility and mobility. In addition to these physical health outcomes, regular exercise can also have a positive impact on your mental health by reducing anxiety and depression. Given the benefits of exercise, as well as the numerous mental and physical health problems experienced by people with PTSD, a regular exercise regimen may have a number of advantages for you if you have PTSD. Why You Should Exercise to Relieve Symptoms of Mental Illness The Effect of Regular Exercise on Symptoms Several studies have looked at the effect of a regular exercise program on PTSD symptoms. In one study of adults with PTSD, a 12-week exercise program that included three 30-minute resistance training sessions a week, as well as walking, was found to lead to a significant decrease in PTSD symptoms, depression, and better sleep quality after the program ended. A review of four randomized controlled trials  (RCTs) on the effect of regular exercise on PTSD also found that physical activity significantly reduced depressive and PTSD symptoms. It suggested that more studies should be done on this relationship and concluded that including physical activity in the treatment of PTSD appears to be helpful. Starting an Exercise Program Before embarking on any exercise program, its important to first check with your doctor to make sure that you do it safely. Your doctor may also be able to help you identify the best exercises given your goals, age, weight, or other physical health problems that youre experiencing. If youre currently working with a mental health provider, it may also be important to let him or her know that youre interested in starting an exercise program. Exercise can be an excellent form of behavioral activation, and your exercise goals may be able to be incorporated into the work that youre already doing with your therapist.