There’s no denying the physical benefits of exercise. Research tells us that, by moving our bodies, we can improve everything from strength and flexibility to bone density and even blood pressure.
These are all excellent reasons to hit the gym, but there’s a lot more to exercise than meets the eye. Turns out, fitness can also have a huge impact on cognitive, emotional, and even spiritual health. These benefits influence both immediate thinking patterns and long-term quality of life.
Keep reading to learn why fitness is so important from a mental health perspective — and what it takes to reap the rewards of an active lifestyle.
How Physical Activity Impacts the Brain
First things first: understanding what happens in your brain when you move your body.
Exercise sparks a complicated chain reaction involving chemical messengers known as neurotransmitters. Without sufficient physical activity, these may remain in short supply.
Changes in the brain begin as soon as you amp up the intensity. As your heart rate and breathing increase, so does blood flow throughout the body and even to the brain.
Next up? The release of hormones known as endorphins. These are often referred to as the body’s natural painkillers, while endocannabinoids combat stress and promote a sense of calm.
Positive benefits continue hours after your workout ends. First, the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) — a protein tied to learning and memory — ramps up.
Soon after, neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine and serotonin kick in. This after-exercise neurotransmitter cocktail can produce many benefits, including reduced anxiety and improved sleep quality.
Mental Health Benefits of Exercise
If you’ve ever entered the gym feeling glum but later emerged with a spring in your step, you’ve witnessed first-hand just how wonderful movement can be for your state of mind. These benefits quickly multiply as you exercise more frequently. Top examples include:
Stress Relief
For many people, the mental health benefits of exercise boil down to one main goal: relieving stress. Exercise provides a much-needed outlet and a simple way to channel your mind and your energy. By focusing on form, for example, you can take a temporary break from the many sources of stress in your everyday life.
In addition to offering temporary respite from whatever is weighing on your mind, exercise may also determine how you deal with that stress on a long-term basis.
Specifically, the neuromodulator norepinephrine has a huge impact, with research suggesting that exercise increases norepinephrine levels in the brain — especially in the areas that dictate the human stress response.
Essentially, researchers believe that exercise provides a unique, low-stakes opportunity to practice dealing with stress at the physiological level. After all, when you engage in physical activity, your various bodily systems work together far more closely than they do while sedentary.
With ongoing practice, these systems should begin to work more effectively and will be primed to stage a desirable response to major stressors.
Mental Alertness
Have you ever noticed that your mind begins to drift after hours at your desk — but that something as simple as a short stroll makes you feel more alert? Exercise is one of the most reliable solutions for ditching brain fog and achieving a sense of focus.
This is why physical activity is such a strong lifestyle recommendation for people with ADHD. It’s important for everybody, however, and research suggests that, by boosting cell growth in the hippocampus, moderate exercise can produce better concentration and, ultimately, positive learning outcomes.
Sleep Quality
Sleep plays a huge role in mental health and yet, many of us struggle to get the rest we so desperately need. There are many culprits behind our collective lack of sleep, but lack of exercise is one of the most impactful and one of the easiest to address.
Positive changes can take place almost immediately. Commit to just half an hour of exercise today, and you could be treated to a more restful slumber tonight. Evidence suggests that, by exercising earlier in the day, you can fall asleep easily and ditch the usual tossing and turning.
As your sleep quality and duration begin to improve, you will be delighted to discover that your entire outlook on life changes. You’ll find it easier to regulate your emotional response when stressful situations arise, and, as a bonus, you’ll also have more energy to continue exercising. This can form a positive cycle: more exercise, more sleep, and more happy moments.
Social Interaction
While some people prefer solitary exercise, there is often a social element to physical activity. This is true even when using the treadmill or lifting free weights at the gym. The simple act of moving in the presence of others can be revitalizing, especially if you receive a warm greeting upon arriving and engage in small talk with fellow gym members.
This social element can take a step up if you work with a fitness coach or participate in small group classes. You’ll bond over your shared love of fitness and may even emerge with a close-knit group of friends.
The mental health advantages of exercise-oriented socialization cannot be overstated. Research suggests that working out with friends or acquaintances boosts physical and mental exercise benefits above and beyond what is possible when pursuing fitness goals on your own.
Sense of Accomplishment
One of the most significant benefits of exercise is also the most difficult to quantify: the simple sense of accomplishment that accompanies a completed workout. This translates to greater confidence in many areas of life, and these powerful feelings can be quickly amplified when you crush your most ambitious exercise goals. This confidence will continue to grow as you gain new skills, new friendships, and perhaps even a new physique.
Discover the Joy of an Active Lifestyle
Exercise has the power to turn around a bad day and, on a long-term basis, to limit the symptoms of depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders. It can be tough to get started, but even a few minutes can make a world of difference.
Commit to an active lifestyle, and you’ll quickly discover the power of movement and the simple, yet transformative joy of physical fitness. It’s never too late to embrace movement and give your mental health a boost.
Infographic created by Re|Claim Fitness, work with a personal trainer New Lenox
Author bio: Dan Borucki is an ISSA Certified Fitness Coach and Personal Trainer at Re|Claim Fitness. He is committed to providing a level of service that is focused on the individual, whatever his or her needs and goals may be. Borucki strives to encourage, support and challenge his clients to feel stronger, healthier and more confident.
In order to experience the mental health benefits of exercise you got to start making exercise a part of your weekly routine. Learn more how Eszter from wellnesswitheszter.com can help you take actions.
