How Exercise Affects Mental Health
It's no secret that exercise has various health benefits, including reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke.
But many people don't know that exercise can also be great for your mental health.
A growing body of evidence suggests that regular exercise can improve mood, reduce anxiety and stress, and even help with depression.
So if you're looking for an all-around healthy lifestyle, it's essential to make sure you include regular exercise as part of it.
And who knows – you may find that the positive effects on your mental health are just as significant as the physical ones!
Now let's delve a bit deeper into the topic, shall we?
Physiological Benefits
People tend to think of exercise as a way to lose weight or build muscle, but it has many physiological benefits that affect the body and the mind.
Exercise increases the production of endorphins, hormones that have a mood-elevating effect.
In addition, it helps to improve sleep quality and reduce stress levels, thereby improving your mental health drastically.
Furthermore, regular exercise has been shown to increase cognitive function and protect against age-related decline.
On a biological level, exercise helps the body produce hormones that inevitably upgrade the brain!
So, listen up…
If you're feeling down or like age is taking its toll on your body and mind, remember that a bit of exercise, done regularly, may be just what you need to boost your mood and overall wellbeing!
Psychological Benefits
Besides the obvious physiological benefits that manifest on a biological level, the effects of exercise directly impact your psyche.
We believe there are three significant main effects - Self-esteem, resilience, and the mind-body connection.
Let's have a look!
Improved Self-Esteem
One of the most important psychological benefits of exercising and being in good shape is drastically improved self-esteem.
So you see, there is a reason that so many people enjoy working out.
You feel better about yourself when you are in good shape and have been working out regularly.
You feel more confident and like you can take on the world (especially when you have your pump on.)
This is a great feeling, and it is one that you should strive to experience.
There is nothing like the confidence and self-esteem you can get from peak performance and supreme physical aesthetics!
Mental Resilience
Fitness training can help you be more physically demanding; that's a given.
When you do a lot of fitness training, your body gets tougher and can handle more loads and pain.
The same thing happens with your mind.
It becomes more robust and can handle more stress when used to doing hard things.
Indeed, training isn't all there is to mental resilience and facing challenges, but it does help!
If you are getting into training, expect to feel this very soon!
Mind-Body Connection
Nowadays, most people are disconnected from their bodies. We lead busy lives and are constantly on the go.
We eat unhealthy foods, don't get enough exercise, and don't take the time to connect with our bodies.
Perhaps, one of the best ways to boost your mind-body connection is through training.
When you engage in regular physical activity, your body and brain start working together in a more coordinated way to overcome the load they are going through ultimately.
This improved communication can lead to better overall health and wellbeing and enhanced cognitive function.
In case you feel like you're neglecting your body… Get your butt to the gym!
Final Thoughts
Well, it seems that exercise is not only great for our physical health and wellbeing, but it might also be perfect for our mental health.
This should be no surprise to those who have experienced the intra and post-workout high.
If you are looking for an easy way to boost mental health, don't hesitate to include regular training in your schedule!
What's your take on training and mental health? How did training change you psychologically? Comment below!