Why Is Exercise Good For Your Mental Health?

This is year I put exercise at the top of my priorities list as I know a lot of you did as well. When you first think of exercise, you will probably think of the benefits it can bring to your physical health. These benefits are important; exercise will help you to be fit, will enable you to lose weight more easily, and will strengthen muscles along with eating healthy.  However, exercise also has a number of benefits when it comes to your mental health, and these are just as important. Read on to discover just how it all works.

Reduce Stress

If you are feeling stressed after a bad day at the office or because you are worrying about something you need to deal with, exercising can help you to feel better and reduce that stress. One of the ways it does this is to make you focus on something other than your problems; you will be concentrating instead on taking the next step or following the instructions of a trainer.

When exercising, the body will also produce more nor-epinephrine. This chemical reacts with the brain and tells it that there is nothing to worry about. So you’ll feel much less stressed and more able to cope with whatever is happening in your life.

Produce Happy Chemicals

If you’ve ever noticed how great you feel after a good workout, that’s all down to the chemicals and hormones that your body produces during exercise. You can even go for neurofeedback therapy. If you’re wondering what is neurofeedback, it is a computer based method that uses brain wave patterns to help with mood, memory, and other emotions which are good for your mental health. Even those who have been diagnosed with clinical depression can benefit from these natural chemicals, although it should be remembered that if you have depression or other mental illnesses such as borderline personality disorder that getting advice from the experts at The Recovery Village is always a good idea.

These chemicals and hormones will be released even if you don’t workout for 30 minutes at a time, so going for a brisk walk or a bike ride is just as good as heading to the gym for an hour or more if that’s what you prefer.

More Self-Confidence

When you start exercising regularly, you will soon see a difference in your body. You will be fitter, slimmer, perhaps more muscular depending on what exercises you are doing, and this will all go towards boosting your self-confidence.

When you know you look good, you feel good, and when you feel good you will look even better because how you feel is often noticeable on your face.

More Brainpower

Studies on rats have shown that those that are more active are also the ones with more cognitive abilities. That means, say the scientists, that the more we exercise, the smarter we can become. Our bodies and our minds are linked completely, and even if we don’t yet know exactly how it all works, the fact that it does work is all-important.

Become More Productive

Have your ever felt very busy and yet felt that you were getting nothing done? When this happens, it’s time to get up from your desk and go for a run or a walk, or perhaps a swim. Do whatever it is that you enjoy that means you are exercising and by the time you get back to your desk you will find that you are more inspired to continue, and you’re a lot more productive too.

This is great for our mental health. The longer we sit and stare at a piece of work that needs doing, the harder it becomes. Stepping away and then trying again should mean that it is all completed much faster.

There you have it.  Are you ready to get out there and get your body moving?  I hope you have found some inspiration that you can use in your daily life to be healthier.

Thank you for spending a little time with me today.  Join me over on INSTAGRAM, PINTEREST, and TWITTER for everyday tips, ideas and inspiration to live your happiest life.

See you soon!