Why exercise is so beneficial for both your body and mind
Does exercise make you feel energetic and alert throughout the day? How about making you look and feel better? Exercise is known to give your body many benefits. It helps build muscle and burn calories, it also clears your lungs and heads, relieving stress. But what if all of this is happening inside your head? Till now I can boldly say one of my regret in life is not coming to the full realisation of the importance of exercise earlier.
Exercise has been proven to help reduce stress and anxiety while also keeping you focused, calm, and collected throughout the day. Have you ever imagine whenever you engage in exercise, your mind seems to relax right? In fact, research shows that people who exercise have lower levels of stress hormones compared to those who don't. Stress can be a real bummer but by combating it with anaerobic exercises like running or weight lifting instead of sitting around watching TV or doing chores, you can actually fight back against its negative effects.
What does exercise do for your mental and physical health?
Exercise is known to improve your health on many levels. It boosts your metabolism, improves your sleep schedule, and reduces stress. It can reduce inflammation, improve your mood, and help with sleep. There are many different types of exercise, and they all have specific benefits.
There are many benefits to physical exercise, but what about those things that exercise does for your mind? Exercise has been proven to help with various mental health issues, including anxiety and depression. For example, people who regularly exercise have less anxiety and tend to have a better mood overall. Studies have also shown that regular exercise can reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. This is huge, because most people with this condition start to experience memory issues around the age of 60.
The benefits of exercise are numerous and include:
increased energy
increased mental focus
increased ability to think
increased creativity
increased ability to move
reduced risk of developing heart disease
reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's
reduced risk of developing cancer
improved skin condition (toward the end of the day
Easier to get to the doctor's
no waiting in line at the grocery store or doctor's office - No more excuses!)
Exercise gives you a sense of accomplishment and makes you feel proactive. It gives you something to look forward to each day, and it gives you something to focus on while you wait. People with high levels of activity have been shown to have higher levels of Mood Synchrony a term that describes the degree to which you are able to focus on one thing at a time and maintain productivity. We’ve already discussed how exercise can lower stress and anxiety.
The neurotransmitters that exercise affects are what can make you feel so happy and content after working out. Some of the things that exercise triggers in people are:
Serotonin – which we all love to feel, even if it is for three seconds, is responsible for regulating sleep, appetite, and mood.
Dopamine – which we all know is the “reward” neurotransmitter, responsible for “pleasure” and “attention,” is responsible for happiness, positive emotions, and working towards goals.
Noradrenaline – one of the “energy” neurotransmitters, responsible for “lack of exhaustion,” is also responsible for regulating heart rate, alertness, and mood.
Did you know that yoga can help treat and prevent mental health issues? In fact, yoga is one of the most widely studied natural practices for reducing anxiety and stress. The connection between yoga and mental health has been widely discussed in the media, but the facts remain: Yoga can help reduce stress and improve your mental health.
Exercise can do so much for your mind and body. Whether you choose to exercise for health benefits, to stay in shape, or to enjoy a hobby, exercising can help you feel better in many ways.
(1). https://health.clevelandclinic.org/benefits-of-exercise-other-than-weight-loss/
(2). https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/benefits-of-exercise
(3). https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/pa-health/index.htm
(4). https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/exercise-health-benefits/
I never joke with exercise, even when times get tough and I cannot afford the gym, I work out in my home, it can get dangerous to live every day without going through any form of exercise, especially now that most of us work from home.