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Writer's pictureJeff Beck PT

5 Reasons Regular Exercise is Good for your Mental Health

Updated: Oct 12, 2022

There are many reasons why exercise is good for your body. But what about your mental health? Here’s five reasons why exercise is good your mental health:


It gives you more energy

Simple one this: exercise increases your energy level. Research has shown that even just a short walk can be enough to re-energise your tired body and mind, giving you a much-needed boost. So if you feel a bit lethargic, get a bit of exercise!


It makes you happy

I’m sure most of you will have heard about endorphins. They’re great little chemicals that get released when you exercise, and create feelings of happiness and euphoria, as well as reduce feelings of anxiety and depression. Not only that, how about the more surface feelings of self-confidence once you start to see a difference from the effort you’re putting into your training? It really doesn’t take long to start to see results, and this will quickly elevate your feelings of self-worth.


It can reduce stress

One of the most common mental benefits of exercise is stress relief. Over the years I have trained many people from different walks of life, all of which come with their own stresses. Training helped all of them. An hour in the gym, a class of some kind, or even just a walk can all help the body to increase concentrations of norepinephrine, a chemical that can moderate the brain’s response to stress. For me, nothing can beat hitting the heavy boxing bag if I’m feeling stressed! It’s pretty much what got me started with boxing many years ago!


It can you smarter

Exercise can boost your brain power too. Studies have shown that a tough workout increases levels of a brain-derived protein (known as BDNF) in the body, believed to help with decision making, higher thinking and learning. Memory can also get a boost too. Studies have suggested exercise can also increase the production of cells in the hippocampus, which is responsible for memory and learning. All of this helps us in the present, but also in the future. It’s a sad fact that as we age, our brains start to shrink, and nasty illnesses such as dementia and Alzheimer’s actively kill of brain cells. While training can’t prevent this, it can help you build a good defence to fight from!


It can help you to relax

Sounds counter-intuitive, right? But hear me out. Exercise raises the body’s core temperature, which after a few hours comes back down. This signals to the body that it’s time to sleep, and can help you reach a more restful sleep faster.


Source and links to studies: https://buff.ly/2KJnNnM

namaste
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