On the Relationship between Exercise and Mental Health —— Research on the Relationship between Exercise Prescription and Mental Health
Keywords: mental health exercise prescription elements
Health is the cornerstone of the continuation of human life. People have different interpretations of health in different historical development stages and different cultural backgrounds. Nowadays, mental health has become an important connotation of modern health concept. With the increasing pressure of living environment, the mental health level of individuals is deteriorating, and psychological problems have become an important factor affecting the quality of life of modern people. How to improve the psychological state of contemporary people has become an important topic for researchers. Faced with the challenge, relevant scholars have to think and discuss mental health in a new way, and begin to re-examine the relationship between body and psychology, re-examine the role of physical exercise, and gradually realize the important significance of physical exercise in improving psychology. Exercise can directly promote psychology. In addition, exercise can indirectly promote mental health by relieving stress, improving interpersonal relationships and regulating emotions [1].
First, the research origin of exercise prescription applied to psychology
During the period of 1954, the German holman Institute made a fitness exercise prescription by studying the theory and application of exercise prescription, and clearly pointed out that in the near future, it will make an exercise prescription for the human brain? Will be an important research topic of sports science [2]. Since then, the research of sports prescription in the field of psychology has developed, and its application value and function have also become prominent.
Due to the different research perspectives and positions and disciplines, different scholars have made different explanations on the definition of exercise prescription. At present, from the perspective of sports psychology, exercise prescription can be defined as the purpose of promoting individual physical and mental health. The value of exercise prescription in improving psychology is gradually recognized by researchers and individuals involved in exercise. At present, although the research on the relationship between exercise prescription and mental health is in the exploratory research and development stage, some studies have achieved far-reaching influence. With the deepening of research, the heart-strengthening effect of exercise prescription will be accepted by more and more individuals.
Second, the relationship between various elements of exercise prescription and mental health
(A) the impact of exercise forms on mental health
The research on the relationship between exercise forms and mental health has always been a field of great concern. The research of sports psychology on the psychological effect of exercise prescription mainly focuses on the form of exercise. At present, the research on sports forms and mental health in China can be summarized into the following categories: (1) the mental health benefits of traditional sports. For example, Quan Liming (2007) studied and analyzed the characteristics of Tai Ji Chuan's activities, and thought that practicing Tai Ji Chuan can reduce the interference of college students on internal emotions and external stimuli, and gradually adjust and improve mental disorders such as nervousness, anxiety, depression and irritability [3]. (2) The influence of new aerobics and dance on mental health. For example, Lin Yuetong and Zhuang Xueqin (2009) performed aerobic exercise on female college students and compared their mental health before and after exercise. The results show that aerobic exercise has a good psychological effect on female college students and can obviously improve their mental health level [4]. (3) Psychological effects of ball games. For example, Yin and Yu Xixiang (2007) conducted an assessment in 23 90 survey centers in Jiangxi Normal University. 3. Students use basketball and aerobics to intervene in college students' experiments. The results show that basketball can promote the positive changes in the overall level of college students' mental health [5]. (4) Other forms of sports psychological effects. For example, Ma Xiaoyun (2006) measured the mental health status of middle-aged and elderly people in Xi city by combining psychological scale and questionnaire survey, and found that the physical and mental health status of middle-aged and elderly people who adhered to the above various fitness activities showed a good trend [6].
The above research shows that different forms and events of physical exercise will have a positive impact on individual mental health. Because of the different characteristics of sports, the psychological benefits are also different.
(B) Research on the relationship between exercise intensity and mental health
As the core element of exercise prescription, exercise intensity plays a decisive role in fitness effect, and the selection and control of exercise intensity has always been the difficulty and focus in scientific research. At present, the research on the influence of exercise intensity on mental health is still controversial, but most studies believe that moderate intensity exercise can achieve better psychological effects. For example, borger et al. (1992) found that regular moderate-intensity exercise (60-75% of the highest heart rate) for 20-60 minutes at a time is helpful to improve mood [7].
The intensity of exercise greatly affects the psychological effect of exercise. However, at present, the research on exercise intensity and psychological effect is not deep enough, and most researchers have a wide range of exercise intensity choices, which makes the current research results inconsistent and has not yet reached the optimal exercise intensity to improve mental health.
(3) Research on the relationship between exercise time and mental health;
Is the influence of exercise time on mental health similar to that in psychological research? Forgetting law curve? That is, after each exercise, there will be some traces of training effect. The longer the repetition time and cycle of exercise, the deeper the trace of effect and the more obvious the effect of exercise. Some studies have found that a one-time five-minute walking exercise can improve the mental state, but the psychological effect of this short-term activity is short-lived and has no long-term inhibitory effect on negative emotions. Steptoe A( 1988) and other studies believe that it takes 40-50 minutes to get into a positive intoxicated state through exercise, so the effect of continuous exercise for 40-60 minutes may be better, and the ideal effect can be achieved every 20-30 minutes [8].
There is an obvious dose effect between exercise time and mental health. Reasonable arrangement of exercise time can effectively enhance individual mental health. However, it is not clear whether there is an optimal range of exercise duration, and whether it will have better psychological effect if it is lower than or beyond this range.
(d) Study the relationship between exercise frequency and mental health.
Movement frequency is the number of movements in a certain period of time. Some researchers think that exercisers can have a certain psychological effect by exercising 1 time a month, and some researchers suggest that individuals can achieve the best psychological effect by exercising 3-5 times a week. North TC( 1990) made a meta-analysis of 80 studies on the control effect of physical exercise on depression from 1969 to 1989. The results show that the frequency of physical exercise (how many times per week) is related to the degree of depression relief. In a certain range, with the increase of exercise frequency, the psychological effect will be enhanced. Song Ziliang (2008) used questionnaire survey and SCL-90 scale to investigate the relationship between different frequency of physical activities and mental health status of college students in China. The results show that different frequencies of physical activities have different effects on improving college students' mental health, and those who exercise more than three times a week have the best effect [9].
In the experimental operation, most researchers use the exercise frequency of 2-4 times a week, which may be because the physiological exercise prescription requires the exercise frequency of 2-4 times a week. But mental health and physical health are two different levels after all, and there may be some differences in the requirements for exercise frequency. Therefore, how to arrange the exercise frequency is most beneficial to mental health, and it is necessary to design a more perfect experimental scheme for research and verification.
Three. conclusion and suggestion
There is no doubt that the application of exercise prescription will have a positive impact on individual psychology. However, different exercise modes, exercise intensity, duration and exercise frequency in exercise prescriptions have different mechanisms on psychological influence. Although there is no consistent research result at present, that is, what kind of exercise mode, intensity, duration and frequency can achieve the greatest psychological effect, most studies show that aerobic exercise, moderate intensity, at least 20-30 minutes each exercise and more than 3 times a week can achieve good psychological effect.
At present, the conclusions of most studies only verify the positive effect of exercise prescription on improving psychology as a whole, but can't specifically determine which elements play a key role, so the conclusions are general. Therefore, we should further strengthen the research on whether there are differences in psychological benefits between different forms of exercise, exercise intensity, duration and exercise frequency. Future research should focus on the contribution of individual elements of exercise prescription to psychological benefits and seek the core elements under the premise of controlling one or several elements (such as the influence of exercise intensity on mental health under the premise of controlling time and exercise form), so that the design of exercise prescription will have a clearer purpose and application value.
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