Onto this week's main article....
Physical exercise boosts mental health – I mention this often, but have never really gone into detail about it. Today I thought I would do so…..
“To enjoy the glow of good health,
you must exercise.”
Gene Tunney
Many of us know the physical benefits of a healthy body such as
- improved cardiovascular health,
- increased muscle mass and getting,
- maintaining your desired physique.
but how many know about the added benefits for the mind, brain and mental health?
Physical exercise boosts mental health too!
For many years now scientists have wondered how exercise helps brain function. Studies show that any form of exercise boosts mental health and is beneficial
for brain health; so going for that walk in the park, going for a run or hitting the gym is of benefit for the mind as well as the body.
I know I always feel much better after exercising and I wanted to explore that in a bit more depth. Some of the mental health benefits of physical exercise are outlined below and so I hope you let them inspire you into action leading to a healthier happier
lifestyle.
Can help keep depression at bay:
Exercise has been proven to be at least as effective as medication in treating mild depression for most people who take on a structured exercise plan. Those who exercise frequently are also less likely to become depressed than those who are
inactive.
“For some people it works as well as antidepressants, although exercise alone isn’t enough for someone with severe depression,”
Dr. Michael Craig Miller, assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical
School.
There are various theories that explain the link between depression and exercise, the most well-known of which being the endorphin theory. High-intensity exercise releases the body’s feel-good chemicals called endorphins, resulting in the “runner’s high” that many runners report.
Aside from more complex mechanisms, however, the simple fact is that exercising is distracting (in a positive way), gets you out of the house and makes you feel better about your body also goes some way to explaining why exercise is effective at beating depression.
Exercise is helpful for the majority of people who experience mild depression but it is not a silver bullet when it comes to moderate or severe depression. In more extreme cases, you should seek medical help in conjunction with maintaining a healthy exercise routine.
Have a good read of the rest of the reasons, along with access to the scientific studies I cite here in the
full article:
If you want to see for yourself that exercise boosts mental health, then get into a routine; most of the evidence suggests that you engage in exercise by doing something that you will sustain and ideally something you enjoy so that you keep it up and engage in it regularly.
Read these articles to help you with that greatly:
