How Exercise Helps Improve Your Mental Health? – Ever wonder why doctors emphasize so much to prevent living a sedentary lifestyle?
Turns out, there is a lot more there is to exercise, and most of our bodily issues would be gone if we stick to a regular exercise schedule.
Drinking water and exercise are two things that the more we do the more it benefits us in every possible way.
Does Exercising Have Any Benefits on The Brain?
Exercise has a deeper effect on our body than what we understand.
It is not only a fantastic way to keep your bones and muscles in a good shape, but research has proven that exercise has a significant effect on our mind and mental health. It has a profound effect on our overall well-being.
How to Relieve Stress, Anxiety Or Depression With Exercise?
Want to treat your mild mental health conditions without taking drugs?
Try doing an exercise for at least 15 to 30 minutes each day. If nothing, then simply start walking. Studies have shown that regular walking treats mild cases of depression as well as any medication. Anyone looking forward to treating their depression or anxiety naturally should take the easier way out and exercise.
There is an entire mechanism to how this works.
Running on asphalt releases certain chemicals in our brains called neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters are responsible for all our brain activity and functioning. You can become happy or sad, experience anxiety or depression because of these neurotransmitters. So, if you want to start running, then you will need the best running shoes. It will make your running journey less stressful and reduce the occurrence of calf pain.
What exercise does is to release serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins which are the ‘happy’ neurotransmitters in the brain. These chemicals aid in boosting our mood and keeping us fresh, plus energetic and lively.
You will notice that exercising regularly gives you a sense of achievement. When you do something good for yourself, you suddenly start feeling more accomplished, as if you achieved a major life goal.
To be honest, taking care of yourself is a tough job, and nothing less than a life goal.
The other great thing that happens when you exercise is to give yourself a break. You spend a good 30 minutes to an hour on yourself. This gives you the time to literally run away from all your problems.
Not only are you staying away from negative things in your life for that one hour, but you are also releasing all that negative energy from your body and mind within that one hour. It is taking a break from whatever is happening in your life for just a few minutes to genuinely focus on yourself; your well-being.
Plus, what happens when you are stressed or depressed? You think a lot. A LOT. More than you usually do. It is your thoughts that are contributing to such problems because you find nothing else better to do. Exercise fills this void.
It gives you something to do than to sit in your room all day and get depressed over what has happened with you in the past or make you anxious about something in the future.
Furthermore, every mental health problem hurts the sleep cycle. People who are depressed or anxious find it much harder to have a good night’s sleep. Exercise can help you battle your sleep problems.
Doing exercise regularly brings you better sleep at night, and also makes you a deep sleeper.
What Are the Added Benefits Of Exercising?
Apart from treating medical conditions, exercise has an effect on us as a person. It augments our self-esteem and helps us in feeling good about ourselves. It improves your self-worth and makes you feel stronger.
On the flip side, regular exercise sharpens our memory. The chemical release after a good workout is what helps add life to our brain and its functioning, eventually increasing our brainpower. It helps us in making better decisions and handling difficult situations in life very smoothly. You may even start to notice that you are able to retain things much more easily than before.
Final Word
Exercise is a way to promote resilience. It is a better way to cope with reality than resorting to medications, drugs, or alcohol to make your situation better for the moment. However, what we don’t realise is that these things may bring us relief for some time, but it is harming us in the long run.
Exercise is a healthy behaviour that prepares us to face emotional and physical turmoils in life. What is better than to walk barefoot on freshly watered grass or the beach in the evening to fill you with an eerie calmness?
Exercise while getting close to nature. Soon you will notice the subtle changes in your behaviour and mood.
Sarah Walker