If you've ever found that your mood took a positive turn after a quick sweat session or leisurely walk that's because well, it did. Thanks to all of those powerful endorphins being released during exercise, any amount of exercise can significantly improve your mental health.
In fact, people who exercise regularly have better mental health and emotional well-being and lower rates of mental illness.
Here are some more reasons why you should head to the gym or make time throughout the week to go for a walk around the neighborhood:
Exercise boosts our mood, concentration and alertness, and improves our cardiovascular and overall physical health.
It doesn’t have to be strenuous, structured or take a long time to have benefits! Even a quick 10 minute sweat session can brighten your outlook on things!
Any exercise is better than none, but experts recommend adults should be active most days, aiming for a total of 2.5 - 5 hours of moderate physical activity, or 1.25 - 2.5 hours of vigorous physical activity per week.
Know this: exercise doesn’t have to be strenuous or be time consuming. Studies show that even just low or moderate intensity exercise is enough to make a difference when it comes to your mood and thinking patterns.
Any exercise is better than none. Going for a leisurely walk, or activities like stretching and yoga, can also have huge benefits on your mind and body. Even doing housework like sweeping, mopping, or vacuuming counts.
Here are some of the top exercises you can do to improve your mental health:
Walking: Walking is free, low impact and gets you out in the fresh air.
Yoga: Has been shown to lower stress hormones while simultaneously increasing beneficial brain chemicals such as those feel-good chemicals known as endorphins.
High Interval Training: Reduces stress and anxiety plus lowers heart disease risk and blood pressure, and it protects against Type 2 diabetes.
Strength/Resistance Training: Gives our brains a boost which helps memory and prevents cognitive decline.
Boxing: A great way to deal with stress and anxiety, plus punching at the bag reduces stress levels, promotes well-being, releases endorphins and improves focus and concentration.
Running: Tie up those laces! Studies prove that regular running at a moderate or vigorous pace can improve your mental health and your memory and ability to learn.
Hiking: Immersing yourself in the great wilderness increases attention span, improves problem-solving skills and allows you to reconnect with yourself and others.
Your personal trainer will help you to not only meet your goals, but reboot your physical and mental health. Find a personal trainer perfect for you right here.