The impact of exercise upon mental health is frequently overlooked by narratives that focus on the physical benefits of exercise. Sure, exercise can help you to improve your physical health and physique, but that's not what motivates most people to stay active over a long period of time.
What keeps people coming back to the gym is the boost that exercise provides to our mental and emotional wellbeing. Those who incorporate regular exercise into their weekly routines feel more energized, have a more balanced sleep cycle, have sharper memories, and overall feel more relaxed and confident about themselves.
Regular exercise has also proven to have a profoundly positive impact upon common mental health issues such as stress, anxiety, and depression.
Exercise can be a powerful mental health tool to combat stress, anxiety, and depression because it promotes neural growth and reduces inflammation in the brain while also helping to establish new activity patterns which promote calming feelings.
In addition, exercise releases endorphins in your brain which help you to increase your energy, making you feel more positive, balanced, and happy.
Finally, exercise can also help boost your mental health by serving as a distraction from negative thoughts which worsen stress, anxiety, or depression.
Even if you are not suffering from one of the aforementioned mental health issues, regular exercise can still help you to boost your mood, your thought cycle, your perspective, and your overall mental well-being.
Here are a few other benefits that regular exercise provides:
If you are looking to get started with exercise, but are unsure how to start, read the blog post linked below titled "A Beginner's Guide to Exercise".
No matter your age or fitness level, you can use exercise as a powerful tool to overcome mental roadblocks and obstacles in your life, improve your energy levels and overall outlook, and live a more peaceful and balanced life.
