The Benefits of Exercise for Mental Health

Of course regular exercise is good for the body, but exercise is also one of the most effective ways to improve your mental health...

Regular exercise can have a profoundly positive impact on depression and anxiety, it also relieves stress, improves memory, helps you sleep better, and boosts overall mood.

You don’t have to be a ‘gym bunny’ to reap the benefits. Research indicates that modest amounts of exercise can make a difference. No matter your age or fitness level, you can learn to use exercise as an amazing tool to feel better.

What are the benefits of exercise?

Exercise is not just about aerobic fitness and building muscle. Of course exercise can improve your health and your physique, keep you trim and increase your years on planet earth. However that’s not what motivates most people to stay active.

People who exercise regularly tend to do so because it gives them an enormous sense of wellbeing. They feel more energetic throughout the day, sleep better at night, have sharper memories, and feel more relaxed and positive about themselves and their lives. And it’s also powerful medicine for many common mental health challenges.

Exercise for Depression and Anxiety

Studies show that exercise can treat mild to moderate depression as effectively as antidepressant medication.

Exercise is a powerful tool for Depression and Anxiety; it promotes all kinds of changes in the brain, including neural growth, reduced inflammation, and new activity patterns that promote feelings of calm.

Exercise releases Endorphins.

Endorphins are chemicals that are able to cross through the gaps between neurons in order to pass along a message from one to the next.

As you begin to regularly shed your daily tensions through movement and physical activity, you may find that this focus on a single task, and the resulting energy and optimism, can help you remain calm and clear in everything you do.

Stress and Exercise

Ever noticed how your body feels when you’re under stress? Your muscles may be tense, especially in your face, neck, and shoulders, leaving you with back or neck pain, or painful headaches.

The worry and discomfort of all these physical symptoms can in turn lead to even more stress, creating a vicious cycle between your mind and body. Exercising is an effective way to break this cycle. As well as releasing Endorphins in the brain, physical activity helps to relax the muscles and relieve tension in the body.

There is a fundamental link between our mind's health and our body's health, when your body feels better so, too, will your mind!

If the above sounds familiar and you are feeling like your symptoms are preventing you from living a normal life, then an exercise-based mental health management programme may be the best thing you can do to help yourself. Contact us now so we can help you get started!