The benefits of physical activity on mental health have long been studied and praised. Even just one hour a week can boost your mood and brain chemistry. With the growing popularity of ketamine treatment’s use as a tool to fight resistant depression and other mental disorders, many experts have suggested something powerful: combining movement and ketamine therapy.
Exercise, Ketamine Treatment, and Your Brain
Ketamine treatment and physical activity are complementary—with both having an impact on brain health, and by association, mental health.
Medical researchers have long been stumped as to why exercise is so good for a person’s mental health, but recently a few clues have emerged. One study even reported that an hour of exercise per week might prevent 12% of new depression cases, focusing on the benefits of modest exercise vs. vigorous movement. Exercising can boost your self-esteem, connect you with like-minded people, and boost serotonin. However, studies also report that exercise’s impact on the body’s ability to produce brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) may hold the key, as working muscles release the beneficial hormone irisin.
Ketamine treatment is known to boost communication within the brain, an effect that can last for weeks after a session. However, it also enhances the body’s ability to produce and use irisin, impacting the brain just like those exercising muscles. The result is complementary, as boosted irisin levels work to treat mental health imbalances.
What to Do After Ketamine Treatment
After you’ve completed your ketamine treatment, there are activities and practices you can pursue that will amplify the benefits—such as combining the boosts your brain receives from exercise and other mindfulness activities like meditation or crafts.
As studies suggest, combining physical activity with ketamine treatments produces an extra bump that helps your brain build and maintain the pathways necessary for good mental health. Keeping in mind your preferred means of exercise and your level of fitness, regular physical activity can benefit you in many areas of your life while decreasing depressive states.
The first step towards feeling your best mentally involves booking a one-on-one consultation. Support for your mind and body are available to help you live your best life.
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