Asian women exercise indoor at home she is acted "push up"

Benefits Of Exercise For Mental Health

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There’s no doubt exercise is great for your body, helping to keep your metabolism working efficiently, improving heart health, and lowering the risk of diabetes and other illness. But did you know exercise is also great for the mind?

Numerous studies have found that exercise can assist with a range of mental health problems – it can even add years to your life! Here are some of the ways exercise can assist:

Anxiety

One in five Americans over the age of 18 years, and one in three teens, is said to be living with a chronic anxiety disorder. Physical symptoms of anxiety can include nausea and stomach pain, headaches, insomnia, sweating, shortness of breath, and muscle pain.

Asian women exercise indoor at home she is acted "push up"
In the long term, anxiety can cause respiratory problems, lower the immune system, lead to gastrointestinal disorders and heart disease, cause weight gain and memory loss. By exercising, your muscles will feel less tense, your heart rate will rise to increase the amount of serotonin and other anti-anxiety neurochemicals, and you’ll feel more relaxed and ready to face the world.

Depression

Exercise promotes change in the brain, including reducing inflammation and promoting feelings of calm. A study by the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health found that running for just 15 minutes a day, or walking for an hour, can reduce the risk of major depression by 26%. Exercise not only relieves symptoms, it helps to prevent a relapse. By taking 30 minutes out of your day to walk around the block or stepping into nature, you’re also giving yourself a distraction from negative thoughts.

Stress

When you feel stressed, your body tenses up. You might experience headaches, a tight chest, muscle cramps, and you might also have insomnia, diarrhea, and tummy pain. Exercising helps to release endorphins to the brain that can relieve tension and relax your muscles. By allowing your body to feel better, your mind will start to feel better too.

ADHD

If you live with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) you’ll find that your concentration wavers quickly, you talk excessively, act without thinking, fidget, and you’re generally unable to sit still. As much as you want to just sit and relax, your mind won’t let you. Rather than putting up with that, get up and take yourself for a walk or a workout at the gym. Exercise helps to boost the dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine in the brain. These all play an important role in staying focused.

Other benefits

As well as assisting with the above, exercise can also help improve your memory and stimulates the growth of new cells; leads to higher self-esteem and self-worth to make your feel better about yourself, and gives you more energy. By walking, running, or hitting the gym daily, you can also sleep better, and you’ll cope easier with the stresses of everyday life (without turning to alcohol or drugs).

Making a few simple lifestyle changes can have a huge impact on your mental health. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and try new things. You’ll be surprised at how good you feel!