4 Ways Exercise Can Improve Your Mental Health
During these trying times, it's very likely that most of us are stressed about something, whether it's the ongoing pandemic, the state of our world, or the plethora of personal issues we might be facing individually. That is why it's so important to take care of our mental health and wellness.
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One of the most effective tools in our arsenal to do so is exercise. Apart from the obvious physical health benefits, exercise can have powerful effects on our mental health, benefiting us in ways that lead to an overall better quality of life.
Still hesitating to go hit that treadmill? Here are 4 ways exercise can drastically improve your mental health.
1. Decreased stress
Another mental benefit of exercise is reduced stress levels. Increasing your heart rate can stimulate the production of neurohormones like norepinephrine, which not only improves cognition and mood but improves thinking clouded by stressful events. Exercise also forces the body’s central and sympathetic nervous systems to communicate with one another, improving the body’s overall ability to respond to stress.
2. Better sleep
If you have trouble getting a good night’s sleep, exercise can help with that too. Physical activity increases body temperature, which can have calming effects on the mind. Exercise also helps regulate your circadian rhythm, our bodies’ built-in alarm clock that controls when we feel tired and when we feel alert. However, although improved sleep is a psychological benefit of exercise, sleep experts recommend not exercising close to bedtime.
3. Brain performance boost
From building intelligence to strengthening memory, exercise boosts brainpower in a number of ways. Studies on mice and humans indicate that cardiovascular exercise creates new brain cells and improves overall brain performance. It also prevents cognitive decline and memory loss by strengthening the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for memory and learning.
4. Releases endorphins
Exercise is a scientifically proven mood booster, decreasing symptoms of both depression and anxiety. Physical activity kicks up endorphin levels, the body’s feel-good chemical produced by the brain and spinal cord that produces feelings of happiness and euphoria. Even just moderate exercise throughout the week can help with depression and anxiety symptoms.
