Experiences of exercise and mental well-being among psychiatric inpatients: a qualitative study

Abstract

Exercise can have a range of benefits for both mental and physical health. There is a lack of research on how inpatients in psychiatric care experience physical exercise, as most existing studies focus on outpatients. The aim of this study was to explore how psychiatric inpatients experience exercise, in particular with respect to their mental well-being. We conducted qualitative interviews with eight inpatients (five male, three female, mean age of 53.9) with serious mental health disorders who had participated in individualized exercise sessions led by an exercise physiologist during their hospital stay we used reflexive thematic analysis. We identified four key themes: follow-up support, symptom reduction, sense of mastery, and activation during hospitalization. A particularly notable finding was that participants reported immediate improvements in mood and perceived mental well-being following exercise. The presence of an exercise physiologist was described as a crucial source of motivation and support. Overall, the study suggests that structured opportunities for exercise with individualized professional support may be a valuable component of psychiatric inpatient care.