Most of us are aware of the numerous physical benefits of exercise, but what many don't know is that physical activity is also a potent tool to improve our mental health. Research has shown that regular exercise can help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, enhance our mood, and even generate feelings of happiness.
In fact, physical exercise has been proven to change our brain chemistry in ways that contribute to better mental well-being. So, if you're looking for a way to boost your mood and feel happier, then regular exercise might just be the solution you've been looking for.
Let's explore how it works.
We all agree that we "feel" better mentally when we regularly exercise and eat more consciously, right?
Turns out there are a couple of primary reasons for that:
So we can immediately improve our mood through exercise, and we can also regulate our mood throughout the day because of it.
To put it simply, our bodies literally manufacture happiness, peace, and mood regulation.
God, I love science.
The British Journal of Sports Medicine published a fantastic article summarizing the meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials designed to increase physical activity in an adult population and then assessed levels of depression, anxiety or psychological distress.
Effectively, they reviewed the results of many individual studies of participants who fell somewhere on a wide spectrum of mental and physical health - from relatively standard mental and physical health to severe anxiety, depression, HIV, Kidney disease, and more. They wanted to see what effect the implementation of physical exercise had on the population in relation to their starting point both physically and mentally.
So what were the results of the study?
These are two remarkable outcomes, but here are some important notes to consider regarding the findings:
The positive effects of physical exercise were more potent in the first stages of implementing exercise into their lives, and the effects diminished as participants continued and as the exercise intensified.
To me, this is not a surprise or a problem because positivity has a greater effect on someone who needs it more than on someone who already receives some of the benefits.
For instance, when I was broke, an extra $1,000 per month was life-changing. Today, it's still helpful, but it's really more of a supplement to an already financially healthy life. Either way, that $1,000 is good. It just feels more impactful when I needed it more.
The same principle applies here with implementing physical exercise into your life.
Let me be clear. In NO WAY am I saying that one should STOP counseling and replace it with exercise. This is not an either/or type of thing.
I'm pointing out that the research suggests that for many people, regular physical activity has been shown to be more effective in reducing depression, anxiety and other mental health issues than counseling alone.
The powerful conclusion we can make of this is that ADDING physical exercise to your life has nothing but upside to it.
Additionally, supplementing ongoing psychotherapy/counseling with physical exercise might just be the key to breaking through a mental health barrier you're stuck at now.
I think we can all agree that it's worth a shot.
If my plan to motivate you to implement physical exercise into your routine has been successful, then I'm glad. But like any good idea, it's only useful if we know how to take action on it
Here are a few pointers for getting started:
All in all, don't wing it, and don't rely on motivation alone. If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right.
I hope you've enjoyed this short and sweet article on how the body works to help us improve our mental health as well as how we can take steps today to improve matters dramatically and for the rest of our lives!
Here are the key takeaways from the article:
Until next time, be well!
Teddy Woolsey
I am the owner of the RBLD Fitness Unlimited Coaching Program and RBLD Fitness App
I also write about the intersection of fitness and sustainable behavior change
Let's connect on Instagram: @tedwoolsey
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