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4 Ways Exercise Can Improve Mental Health
While it’s well-known that exercise can help improve your physical health, did you know that it has a major impact on your mental health as well? Helping conditions such as depression, anxiety, and stress, exercising for mental health reasons is becoming more and more popular as people recognize the benefits. Exercising regularly can help you achieve a sense of well-being that you wouldn’t usually have without moving your body. ALJ Fitness is here to explain some of the most important ways exercise impacts your mental health. Learn more and reach out to an online personal trainer today!
Reduces Stress
We all know the anxious and tense physical feelings that are associated with stress. Our shoulders become hunched, our backs are constantly painful, and our necks are tight. Exercising helps release the tension in those muscles, making us feel much better physically. As well as physically feeling more stretched out and less tense, the endorphins that are released during a workout will also help fight those stressful emotions too.
Improves Feelings of Depression
If you’ve ever experienced depression, you likely know that the last thing you want to do is exercise, but it’s actually the best possible thing you can do for your body. Keeping your body moving for a minimum of 15 to 20 minutes a day can help stave off depression. In fact, maintaining a healthy workout routine promotes changes within your brain chemistry that allow you to overcome those feelings of depression.
Reduces Anxiety
Anxiety and stress can be pretty closely related with regards to the effects they can have on your body. Moving your body helps relieve tension that is caused. Exercise also keeps you busy, so you don’t have time to think about the issues that are causing your anxiety. Try to focus on the mindfulness aspect of exercise - how does the yoga mat feel under your palms, what sound do your feet make as they hit the ground when you’re running? Practicing mindfulness is one of the biggest anti-anxiety methods you can use.
Improves General Well-Being
There are so many other mental-health benefits to working out. The endorphin rush makes you feel as though you can take on your day, your mood will be lifted, and you will generally feel happier. You’ll be able to sleep better, which contributes to feeling better overall. Exercising is also well-known for improving memory and giving you sharper critical thinking skills.
Find an Online Personal Trainer Today
Exercising can mean anything from a 15-minute treadmill walk to a full-on planned daily workout session in the gym. The most important thing is to get your body moving, which will allow you to enjoy these benefits. ALJ Fitness can help you get started on your fitness journey. Reach out to us to get started today!