In today’s fast-moving world, many of us have become so glued to our phones and other technological devices that we struggle to envision our lives without them. As a result, many of us regularly engage in less physical activity, which can lead to long-term health problems if not addressed. Consequently, the rise in cardiovascular and other diseases in the Western world has been attributed to a decline in healthy habits, such as regular exercise and balanced nutrition.
We all make less-than-ideal lifestyle choices from time to time, but treating our health earlier rather than later is something we should all strive to achieve.
While going to the gym or starting a fitness journey can seem daunting, it has been shown that adopting lasting routines, however small, can dramatically benefit our overall health and wellbeing, particularly our mental health. Here are ten ways that physical activity might assist you in improving your mental health.
Studies have revealed that engaging in some form of physical activity daily can improve low self-esteem. Whether you’re taking pride in your appearance after committing to a new lifestyle change or developing your inner resolve from facing and overcoming daily obstacles, exercise can help produce powerful mood-enhancing endorphins that make us feel better and more confident about ourselves.
Addiction, whether to food, sex, drugs or alcohol, can take numerous forms that impact a person’s brain chemistry and behaviour. Exercise can help alleviate symptoms of addiction like anxiety and tension, resulting in fewer withdrawals and cravings.
Have you ever noticed that people who exercise tend to have a good memory? Exercising frequently has been found in studies to reduce stress, which affects parts of the brain that can lead to cognitive impairment. Exercise can help lower insulin resistance, reducing inflammation and stimulating the production of growth factors essential for maintaining healthy brain cells.
Studies show that exercise lessens the symptoms of depression by providing the recipient with a positive boost. Partaking in high-intensity exercise causes our bodies to release feel-good chemicals known as endorphins, which improve our overall well-being. Not only that, but even light exercise can help our body release proteins known as ‘neurotrophic’ or growth factors, which allow our nerve cells to grow and form new connections.
Regular exercise of up to 40 minutes a day has been shown to increase your productivity and creativity. It is believed that the combination of increased blood flow and endorphins can spark a creative surge, as there is a strong correlation between activity and creativity.
We all lead busy lives, which can leave us feeling exhausted at the end of the day. However, when it comes time to lay our heads on the pillow, our minds are still racing, inundating us with all the untied knots we have yet to solve.
When we exercise, we offer our stress an outlet so that we are better equipped for optimal sleep. However, exercising before bed can be harmful because cortisol levels can be elevated when attempting to sleep.
Sometimes you can do all the preparation in life to set yourself up to sleep, only to be foiled at the last hurdle by brain fog. According to studies, brain fog results from your energy levels attempting to keep up with your brain during times of stress.
Exercising can enhance neurogenesis, which helps our brain stay fresh and perform better by promoting neuroplasticity. This allows the brain to establish new neural connections to help you navigate life and its many pitfalls better.
Like Roger Bannister, the first man to run a mile under four minutes, sometimes it takes seeing someone do an ‘impossible’ feat to believe they can do it themselves. When you finally see results from your dedication to your fitness regimen, it can encourage a new wave of individuals to join you on your path
Showing others that limitations are there to be conquered can help them break through their own mental barriers that can lead them on a path of rediscovering the confidence, productivity and strength that they may have forgotten about.
Many people are fatigued and sedentary because they do not move their bodies. Regular exercise can make you feel more energetic because it increases oxygen circulation throughout your body, allowing your body to work better and use its energy storage more efficiently.
Those who live with PTSD or trauma can benefit from exercise’s ‘pattern-breaking’ effect. By incorporating mindfulness into your daily routine, you can begin to break free from the immobility stress reaction caused by PTSD or trauma. Paying close attention to your workout motions and focusing on your targeted muscles will help channel your focus and decrease the symptoms of PTSD.
When it comes to mental health, it’s easy to feel that you’re the only one experiencing these issues, but this is not true
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