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Moving your body has many benefits, including improving your mental health. No matter how you move, it can help reduce stress, release endorphins, improve sleep and build self esteem, among other benefits.

In Idaho, we're lucky to have plenty of options for movement that is easily accessible throughout the state. Whether it's skiing, taking a bike ride on the Greenbelt or going on a rafting trip down the Lower Salmon River, there is something for everyone to get up and get moving.

Studies show that only to to 25% of people with depression actually seek therapy, whether that is due to a lack of resources, trained doctors or the stigma attached to the disorder. People who have less severe forms of mental illness may use movement as a regular part of treatment and management.

As part of the Mind in Motion series, we spoke with several people who use movement in different ways to improve their mental health. We also want you to share your story with us and how you feel better in all aspects of life.

Body positivity on college campuses

The definition of health is complicated for college students. Eating disorders and body image struggles are more common and can shape how students see themselves and their health every day.

Amy Roberts is a counselor at Boise State University and is a certified body positive treatment provider. The training focuses on how internalized messages shape relationships we have with our body and food.

Roberts hosts a free training that explores misinformation for students every month. You can find more information on that here.

Horticultural therapy at the Idaho Botanical Garden

The Idaho Botanical Garden has started offering horticulture therapy programs. Katie Pukash is the garden’s program instructor and an Ada County Advanced Master Gardener with a horticulture therapy certificate.

Pukash said the garden becomes the teacher in the different programs. Working with plants supports mental wellness, encouraging physical health and fostering social connections.

Photo Courtesy of the Idaho Botanical Garden

The practice of horticulture therapy is an ancient practice, where physicians would prescribe walks in the gardens to patients, according to Pukash. The different programs are open to the public and cohorts last about three months.

The garden will also be holding one-day community events throughout the year, introducing people to horticulture therapy. Click here for more information.

Yoga’s role in supporting mental health

Nicole Beall, the co-owner of 2C Yoga in Canyon County, says yoga and mental health are closely connected through nervous system regulation. Paying attention to your breath is a powerful tool for managing stress, and many types of yoga tie sequences with inhaling and exhaling.

If you are a beginner who may feel intimidated by going to a yoga class, Beall suggests starting with a smaller class or getting a private lesson.

She also emphasizes that yoga is not a replacement for talk therapy, but it can give people tools to better manage stress and reconnect with their bodies. Breathwork and movement can offer practical tools to better manage stress and support your mental wellbeing.

How exercise can be used to improve mental health

Research shows you don’t need intense workouts to see benefits to your mental health. People have known exercise made you feel better, but the benefits were not always taken seriously in medicine.

Jack Raglin, a kinesiology professor at Indiana University, focuses his research on physician and mental health. He said researchers use clinical studies to compare how routine exercise programs affect people with and without mental health diagnoses.

Exercise is not just about the endorphins released. Raglin said exercise triggers other hormones and neurochemicals linked to mood regulation and researchers are still studying exactly how it works.