Why fitness is good for your mental health

The benefits of having good physical health are very well known, but what about mental health? It’s important to remember that having good mental health isn’t just an important part of being happy, it’s also an important part of living longer. According to the World Health Organization, depression is estimated to be the second leading cause of disability worldwide, affecting more than 300 million people around the world. Having good mental health can make all the difference in your life and your business, and taking care of your body will help you take care of your mind and keep those depressive feelings away.

Exercise releases endorphins

Exercise isn’t just about losing weight or toning up – it can have real benefits on our overall sense of well-being. It releases endorphins, which are chemicals that make us feel happy. This might not seem like much when we consider its benefit in preventing heart disease and diabetes, but endorphins can have an incredible impact on our moods. Endorphins help you cope with stress and anxiety and can even improve your sleep quality at night. If exercise makes you happier, then you’re going to find life easier to deal with day-to-day. That’s something we can all be grateful for!

Working out regularly improves sleep quality

There’s a lot of evidence out there to support exercise as a potential sleep aid. The idea: Regular physical activity induces sleepiness, and helps you fall asleep faster, sleep more soundly, and awaken less often throughout the night. The science also suggests that it can boost slow-wave (or deep) sleep, which plays an important role in learning and memory consolidation. However, not all types of exercise are equal when it comes to helping you catch some zzz’s. Research shows that high-intensity interval training may be most effective at improving overall sleep quality. That said, those improvements may take time—and they aren’t guaranteed—so don’t expect miracles overnight!

An active lifestyle can help prevent depression

Living a healthy lifestyle can be as effective as taking medication in preventing depression. A study found that regular physical activity, even without weight loss, could reduce symptoms of depression. By exercising regularly, participants experienced less severe depressive symptoms and increased their overall well-being. Exercise not only helps to curb depression but also reduces anxiety in people who are predisposed to anxiety disorders. Working out releases endorphins in our bodies which help improve mood and lower stress levels. Exercising also gives you an opportunity to focus on something other than whatever problem you’re dealing with at work or home by providing an outlet for your frustration and stress.

Regular exercise reduces anxiety

A 2013 meta-analysis published in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity found that regular physical activity reduces stress hormones and inflammatory markers, increases neurogenesis and brain volume, promotes positive affective states (e.g., through release of endorphins), improves self-efficacy, enhances capacity to cope with stressful situations, promotes healthy sleep patterns and improves quality of life. In other words: It feels great! You’ll feel less stressed out and more optimistic about life if you consistently make time for exercise. The authors note that even short bouts of exercise can help reduce anxiety, as long as it gets your heart rate up—so don’t think you have to spend hours at a gym to reap benefits. Just 15 minutes a day can improve anxiety levels considerably over time, especially when performed regularly and over a longer period of time, says Dr. Michael Otto, professor of psychology at Boston University.

Exercise is a great distraction

If you’re feeling anxious, stressed or worried about something, try putting on some music and going for a run. Exercise has been shown to reduce anxiety and stress by boosting levels of feel-good hormones like serotonin and dopamine. And you don’t have to exert yourself so hard that you completely break a sweat or reach an elevated heart rate—just moving around will help release these happy chemicals. In fact, research suggests that mild-to-moderate exercise can improve mood more effectively than complete rest does. You’ll still be able to do other things during exercise (talking on your phone, walking dogs) and reap all of its benefits with none of its downsides!

Exercise helps improve memory

Stress, memory problems and depression are often linked. Research shows that exercise can reduce stress and anxiety and improve mood, helping you perform better at work. Plus, improved sleep due to exercise has been shown to relieve symptoms of depression. A study published in Psychiatry Research found that men who exercised had significantly less depressed symptoms than those who didn't exercise at all. People with lower levels of physical activity also tended to be more pessimistic about their futures than people who were active on a regular basis. So get moving! Even a brisk walk can give you an extra jolt of motivation—and help you tackle whatever challenges life throws your way in 2022 and so.

Workout with a friend or in front of TV/computer

According to a study published in The Journal of Social Psychology, people are more likely to work out when they know someone’s watching. And even if you’re not working out at home, studies show that people still feel like others are watching when working out in front of a computer or on TV—because those visuals remind us that we could be performing. In other words, other people make us feel self-conscious about exercising—but don’t let that stop you from taking advantage of any workout videos or DVDs you have lying around. At least watch them to get some extra motivation and tips!

Regular exercise makes eating right easier

Making healthy food choices at a restaurant or grocery store can be difficult if you’re not used to cooking and don’t know where to start. Cooking your own meals also cuts down on hidden calories in restaurant food. As a result, people who exercise regularly have an easier time controlling their weight than those who don’t work out at all. Exercise makes it easier to manage stress: Stress causes cortisol levels to rise, and high levels of cortisol can make you crave unhealthy foods that are easy to overindulge in like chips, candy, or soda. Exercising reduces stress because it gives you an outlet for pent-up energy and frustrations; it improves sleep; and it provides endorphins that act as natural painkillers.