Regular exercise has a profound positive impact on mental health. It eases symptoms of mental health conditions such as ADHD, anxiety, and depression and improves memory, boosts mood, improves sleep, and relieves stress. Research reveals that even modest amounts of physical activity can have a significant positive impact on your overall wellbeing.
Here are 4 ways in which exercise can improve mental health.
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Exercise and Depression
Studies reveal that exercise can alleviate the symptoms of moderate depression with the same efficacy as antidepressant medication but with no side effects. A study conducted at Havard revealed that running for about 15 minutes daily or walking for about an hour can reduce the risk of severe depression by about 25%. Research also shows that exercise can prevent you from sliding back into depression.
Physical exercise is effective in fighting depression because it promotes numerous positive brain changes, including reduced inflammation, neural growth, and new patterns that bolster the feeling of wellbeing and calm. It also spurs the release of endorphins which are powerful chemicals that make you feel great.
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Exercise and Anxiety
According to researchers at Harvard, exercise is an effective and natural anti-anxiety remedy. It relieves stress and tension, enhances a sense of wellbeing (thanks to endorphins), and boosts mental and physical energy. Moreover, you can interrupt the constant flow of irrelevant worries by incorporating mindfulness practices into your exercise routine. This means, as you walk or run, you should be aware of the sensations in your body, as well as what’s going on in your environment.
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Exercise and Stress
When you’re stressed, your muscles can become tense, particularly in your shoulders, neck, and face, leading to painful headaches or neck and back pain. Stress can also cause tightness in the chest, muscle cramps, and elevated pulse. Stress can also trigger insomnia, stomachache, frequent urination, and heartburn. The discomfort and worry caused by these physical symptoms can increase your stress levels even further and thus create a vicious cycle. Exercise can help you break this cycle. This is because it triggers the release of endorphins, helps relieve tension, and relaxes your muscles. Due to your body being linked to the mind, when the body feels better, your mind feels better as well.
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Exercise and ADHD
Research shows that regular exercise is an effective and easy way of alleviating ADHD symptoms and boosting mood, memory, motivation, and concentration. Physical activity instantly increases the levels of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine in the brain – all of which impact attention and focus. Therefore, the effects of exercise are similar to the effects of ADHD medications like Adderall and Ritalin.
How to Get Started with Exercise
Incorporating exercise into your everyday life can be difficult, especially if you already have mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, or stress. To ease your way into regular exercising, you should do the following:
- Start small – Set attainable goals and gradually build from there
- Schedule exercise when your energy levels are at their peak
- Focus on enjoyable activities: Any physical activity counts. It could be walking your dog, walking through the mall as you window shop, or cycling to the convenience store
- Make it social: Exercising with friends or loved ones is more enjoyable and thus much more sustainable.
By incorporating exercise into your everyday life, you can improve both your physical and mental health. More importantly, you can improve your sense of wellbeing by carrying insurance policies that adequately protect you. At Donald Weiss Insurance Services, we can help you find customized and cost-effective life and health insurance policies for you and your family. To get started, contact us today.
