Benefits of Exercise to Your Mental Health
Are you wondering about the benefits of exercise? How about the benefits of exercise to your mental health and overall feelings of well-being.
Many Americans today face mental issues. Our culture lends itself to stressful lives that can take a toll on our bodies and mental health. Many think that only medication can resolve these problems, and spend thousands of dollars a year on pills. Science is finding more and more that physical exercise can go a long way in reducing mental stressors in our lives.
In this article, we will cover the benefits of exercise on your body and specifically on mental health and how to take advantage of this fact.
Benefits of Exercise
Physical Benefits
Notwithstanding the fact that you will have an overall healthier feeling and appearance, there are several benefits to exercising. Whether you choose to go to the gym regularly or invest in a personal training service, it really doesn’t matter. As long as you do something!
The physical benefits include weight loss, lower blood pressures, and a reduced risk of certain diseases such as heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and even cancer.
As a society, we know that exercising can extend the length and quality of life. This extension of life though, may not all be about physical fitness. Studies have shown that healthy adults can quickly deteriorate physically under significant amounts of stress. This indicates that reducing stressors on our mental health will benefit our physical health as well.
Reducing Stress Through Exercise
There are so many benefits of exercise especially as it relates to stress. Exercising at least moderately has been shown to reduce stress in our bodies by creating chemical reactions that benefits our bodies. Exercise reduces the hormones that in too great of quantities cause stress. Without exercise, these hormones, mainly adrenaline, and cortisol build, causing the stress we physically and mentally feel. Moderate exercise actually reduces these stressors and helps to calm the mind.
Apart from reducing hormones that cause stress, exercise also forces the body to release endorphins. Endorphins are nature’s painkillers that sense your body is under physical stress from exercise and are released. In running this is known as runners high that many who take part in long-distance runs have testified to.
Stress creates tension in our bodies and occupies our minds. Exercising naturally causes the body to loosen tightened muscles. Maybe the best benefit of exercise on stress is that it takes our minds off daily matters, as our minds are occupied with the exercise itself.
Since stress can result in trigger anxieties and depression, try exercise as an addition or alternative to medicine. If you find that you have a lot of stress, you may want to work out with others as it will promote feelings of wellbeing within your body.
Finding an excellent small group training provider is key when working out as a group! We highly recommend NJ based Jagged Fitness as they have excellent programs you will definitely love!
Sleep and Mental Health
Lack of sleep and poor mental health are known to be interrelated. Doctors who treat psychiatric patients have found that those who are experiencing mental issues also have symptoms of insomnia or other sleep disorders.
What does that have to do with exercise? Science has found that the endorphins released during exercise help us sleep at night time. Another discovery is that while exercising promotes a temperature rise in the body, the cooldown that occurs afterward helps to promote sleep.
By taking on moderate exercise during the week, your sleep will be more consistent and sound, resulting in a healthier mental you. You can do in-home personal training or go to the gym. Either way- we know you’ll see the benefit!
Better Brain Strength
As we age, our bodies begin to lose brain cells related to memory, and the ability to learn. Exercise has been shown to facilitate the creation of new brain cells in the area of the brain responsible for these activities.
Studies have shown that exercise can keep adults from losing their memory ability and keep the brain sharp and focused late into life.
By keeping the brain healthy, exercise greatly reduces the depression and anxiety that can accompany aging in adults.
Better Physical Health Translates to Better Mental Health
When our bodies are in poor condition, our minds will follow. Whether we need personal training for weight loss or fitness to boost our mood, everyone is unique. Not everyone needs to be a bodybuilder and have six-pack abs to feel good about themselves. Simply feeling physically healthier, regardless of what your initial physical condition was, will create a positive impact on your mental health.
A person who drops ten pounds will feel lighter, move better, and have a mental sense of accomplishment. In turn, this will lead to better self-esteem, which adds to a person’s mental positivity.
This is why, regardless of where you finish, many people are encouraged to sign up for races and physical events that produce great confidence and a sense of achievement when finished.
Exercise and Communal Interaction
The physical benefits of exercise having been discussed, let’s turn to the importance of creating a healthy social environment. We have known for years that a healthy social life is beneficial to our overall mental health.
Exercise can benefit a healthy social environment in a few ways.
- Exercising in Public: Whether exercising in a group or alone, exercising in public forces us to leave the house and physically become part of the community. This gives you a sense of involvement and interaction that you cannot attain at home.
- Working with a Trainer: Even if you only talk about exercise, working with a trainer gives you someone to communicate with. Communication is key in reducing depression for humans.
- Exercising in Groups: Group workouts may sound daunting, especially for those with anxiety issues. However, working out with others in groups gives us more confidence and creates communication and trust as the group encourages each other. This can help reduce anxiety in people who trust the process.
Finding the Right Exercise for Your Mental Health
Deteriorating physical conditions can lead to mental health issues. Even if you’ve just been through a major surgery, it would be a great thing to consider post physical therapy training to help your recover.
Finding the right exercise program for you will benefit you physically and your mental health. Although you can start with walking and moving up to more moderate exercise that will affect you with less stress and better sleep, it is essential to focus on your entire mental health.
As our self-esteem increases and our minds become sharper and retain and recall memories, remember we also need social interaction. One way to do this is to find and hire an experienced and trusted physical fitness instructor.
These professionals work individually with you in public or at your home and ultimately in groups to give you the best chance of physical fitness and mental health. Many think that hiring an instructor means they will be bodybuilding, but the truth is a good instructor gets to know your needs and creates a program for the best you. Find one today to feel better about yourself.
Conclusion
There are innumerable benefits of a good workout. And many people aren’t aware of the benefits of exercise to mental health and well-being.
We hope this article has outlined benefits of exercise to your mental health and wish you the best!