Physical activity that enhances mental health

Physical activity is known to benefit all people’s mental and physical health. Hillel Yaffe's Physical Therapy Service launched a project in conjunction with the Mental Health Department as part of which group and individual physical therapy is provided to patients with mental disorders, for example, depression, psychotic diseases, schizophrenia, mood disorders, etc.

The project is led by physical therapist, Ido Belman, who underwent special training in the field of mental health. “Physical activity has a positive impact on symptoms attributable to mental health disorders, much like medication therapy, but physical activity has none of the side effects. During physical activity, the body releases endorphins and hormones that reduce stress, so that engaging in sports promotes the patient’s physical and mental health.”

Group exercise classes are held in the hospital's gym twice a week for the patients in the department, under close supervision. In addition, private exercise classes are held for each patient, sometimes in the department itself.

Physical activity for mental health patients at Hillel Yaffe Medical Center

“A personalized exercise program is created for each patient, according to their level and type of exercise they prefer, in order to create a positive and fun, yet suitably challenging, exercise experience for them. The more the patient views the activity as a positive experience, the easier it will be for the patient to keep it up over time. Even 30-minutes of exercise twice a week leads to an increase in perception of personal capability and helps alleviate stress, depression and more,” explained Belman.

Initial data collected indicate that since the implementation of the project there has been a change in the general feeling of the patients who made sure to engage in physical activity during their hospital stay, while reducing the levels of stress and anxiety, and their perception of personal capability increased.

Director of the Mental Health Division at Hillel Yaffe Medical Center, Dr. Efrat City Elifaz, the department's Head Nurse, Osnat Aharon, and the Physical Therapy Service Director, Yael Krebs, stated, “What we have here is extraordinary cooperation between the Psychiatric Department and the Physical Therapy Service. Patients are tapped both by the department staff - physicians, nurses, social workers and psychologists, and by the department's physical therapist. Even after hospitalization, as the patient’s discharge from the hospital approaches, we create a personalized exercise program so that they will continue to regularly engage in physical activity. Our vision is for patients who are discharged from the hospital to be able to adhere to a lifestyle that includes physical activity of any type that gives them pleasure and integrates into their daily routine.”