Regular exercise is one of the best ways to prevent and manage a range of physical health conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. However, it is not only effective physically, but can also boost yourself by training you to think more positively as it lifts your spirit, improves your mood, and helps you feel better within yourself. Each time you exercise, your body will suppress anxiety and stress inducing hormones, while releasing hormones that improve your sense of happiness and well-being. This makes regular exercise an effective tool against depression and anxiety and a great way to get a more positive outlook on life.
The Effect of Exercise on Your Mood
Recent studies have found a clear link between physical activity and mood, finding that exercise has a huge impact on depression. The study found that people who exercise tend to experience fewer days of poor mental health compared to those who were not physically active. People who exercise for around 30-60 minutes at a time saw the best result. On the other hand, it can also be overdone, since people who exercised for over three hours per day actually reported worse mental health compared to people who did not exercise at all. Along with team sports and aerobic activities, researchers found that cycling was one of the most effective types of exercise for mental health. A spin bike is a great option if you want to be able to cycle whenever you like from the comfort of your home.
Emotional Benefits
Being stressed out can cause a pattern of worrisome thoughts and negative thinking, which can lead to physical symptoms of anxiety that include pain, indigestion, and muscle aches. Along with suppressing the hormones that lead to stress and anxiety, exercise can also be a very healthy distraction from whatever you are worrying over, providing you with a healthy coping mechanism that you can use at almost any time. In addition, many types of exercise are or can be very social activities as you can do them as part of a fitness group, in the gym or with friends, so it gives you a chance to get support from your social circle and even improve your social life as a result. Regular exercise will reduce your risk of chronic illnesses, which often contribute to a lot of anxiety and stress. And as you get stronger and improve your athletic abilities, as you continue to work out, you will get a sense of accomplishment that you can’t help feeling positive about.
The Chemicals
Your body produces chemicals known as endorphins, which improve immunity, help you feel more relaxed, and reduce pain perception. Endorphins are the body’s natural mood booster, and they greatly enhance feelings of satisfaction, positivity, and optimism. On the other hand, your body also produces hormones known as cortisol and adrenalin, which promote feelings of tension, stress, and anxiety. If there is an imbalance, you are likely to feel more stressed out a lot of the time and find it hard to relax or see the positives in a situation. Regular exercise helps balance out your hormonal state while promoting the generation of endorphins and reducing the activity levels of your stress hormones, helping you achieve a happier and calmer state of mind.
Self-Care
Exercise is certainly one of the best types of self-care that you can give to yourself. Many people mistakenly believe that exercising is something that we need to do in order to punish our bodies for being overweight or for not being healthy enough, but the truth is that your body needs exercise just like it needs food and water. If you have decided that you are going to start practicing more self-care and learning to love yourself, getting a regular exercise routine in place is one of the best things that you can do for your body and mind. Exercise because you know that your body deserves it to help it stay strong and healthy and continue working as it should. Choose an exercise that you enjoy the most whether that’s walking in gorgeous scenery, dancing at home, or stretching with yoga.
Regular exercise isn’t just one of the best things that you can do for your physical health; it will also help you reduce stress, improve your mood, and develop a more positive outlook on life.
This is a collaborative post supporting our Peace In Peace Out initiative.