:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/mental-health-exercise-GettyImages-1224514115-abfd64a7cbc041e884ace240b56e193f.jpg?w=1024&resize=1024,1024&ssl=1 "You Might Be Missing the Biggest Mental Benefit of Exercise—Here’s Why")
Key Takeaways
- A new study from the University of Georgia found that how, where, and with whom you work out affects the mental health benefits of your workout just as much as the workout itself.
- Workouts done in group settings, with friends, or tied to meaningful goals tend to offer greater emotional rewards than solo or routine exercise without context or connection.
- Everything from the social setting to the physical space—even the weather or your instructor—can impact how you feel during and after a workout, making intentionality key to long-term wellness benefits.
If you were asked what an ideal workout looks like, the answer might seem simple: you, by yourself, in a gym that offers enough space and equipment to complete a whole-body workout. But according to a new study conducted by the University of Georgia, there’s one key factor we consistently miss while working out, and it could boost your overall wellness more than you think. The study concluded that context—like who you’re working out with, why you’re working out, and the environment you’re working out in—plays a pivotal role in the mood-boosting effects of exercise. Without intentionality behind these factors, you might actually be missing out on some of the benefits of working out.
Why Context Matters During a Workout
“The ‘dose’ of exercise has been the dominant way researchers have tried to understand how physical activity might influence mental health, while often ignoring whether those minutes were spent exercising with a friend or as part of a game,” says Patrick O’Connor, co-author of the study. To understand what actually happens to our psyche during a workout, researchers analyzed three published studies examining health patterns in separate populations, controlled trials where certain participants were offered exercise treatments (while others were not), and smaller trials that focused on contextual factors.
What researchers found was that context may matter just as much as the intensity and amount of exercise. “For example, if a soccer player runs down the field and kicks the game-winning ball, their mental health is fantastic,” O’Connor says. “In contrast, if you do the exact same exercise but miss the goal and people are blaming you, you likely feel very different. Anecdotes such as these show how context matters even when people are performing a similar exercise dose.” Similarly, you might reap more mental health benefits by playing tennis at your local community gym, going on a brisk walk with friends, or taking a guided yoga class. These factors prioritize a community-focused approach—something that has been scientifically proven time and time again to improve our overall health, especially in older adults.
Researchers emphasize that the same type of exercise, when performed in a different context, can have varying effects on mental health. “If you’re outside and it’s hot, and you’re having to walk to work, that’s part of the context,” O’Connor says. “Or if you go and take a group exercise class—some instructors you really like, and some you don’t. That’s also part of the context.” So the next time you’re lacing up your running shoes, take a moment to consider the context of your workout—and don’t be afraid to switch things up to maximize the benefits of this movement.
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