How Exercise can Help Us Deal With Covid-19

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a major impact on our physical and emotional health. Some of the issues are related directly to the disease and many result from the restrictions and limitations placed on us as we try to get the pandemic under control. Our regular activities have been drastically curtailed. Our social interactions are limited. People are suffering from anxiety, loneliness, depression, and other emotional effects. Many people are reporting weight gain and poor eating habits brought on by the pandemic. So what can we do as individuals to reduce the affect of Covid-19?

One important tool we can use to combat Covid-19 is exercise. We mostly all understand at least some of the general benefits of exercise. There are, however, some benefits specifically related to coping with and combating Covid-19.

By improving our physical fitness we can help reduce the severity and morbidity of Covid-19. Fit, healthy people tend to have more robust immune systems and are less likely to develop severe or life threatening symptoms of Covid-19. An article appearing in Frontiers of Physiology in September, 2020 describes how people who engaged in at least 150 minutes of exercise per week significantly reduced infection and mortality rates from Covid-19.

Regular exercise can reduce the severity of Covid-19 infection and the associated risk of death. Exercise can reduce many of the co-morbidities associated with increased risk of death from Covid-19. An April 2020 article by Dr. Zhen Yan of UVA School of Medicine explains that a major factor contributing to the death of Covid-19 patients is developing Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). 45% of patients who develop ARDS will die. His research shows that improving cardiovascular health through exercise greatly reduces the chances of Covid-19 patients developing ARDS.

The pandemic has had negative impacts on many people’s mental and emotional well being. While necessary to help reduce the spread of the disease, physical distancing and lack of social interactions have greatly increased feelings of anxiety, depression and self isolation. The fear of contracting the disease has impacted our mental health. Exercise can play an important role in helping us deal with the psychological and emotional impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The benefits of exercise to our mental health are well known. Among its many benefits, regular exercise helps to reduce anxiety, depression other mood disorders. Exercise has been shown to be as effective as antidepressants in combating depression (Dr. James Blumenthal, Psychosomatic Medicine, 2007). Exercise improves self-esteem, sleep quality and relaxation. Getting regular exercise helps us to overcome many of the negative psychological effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The pandemic has been a major stressor and exercise can contribute to reducing the stress in our lives. Known as “The Exercise Effect”, exercise can have an almost instance positive impact on our mood. It is an available, effective, and accessible means of coping with the negative emotional impacts of Covid-19.

If you would like help getting started or sticking with an exercise routine, please contact me.