6 Reasons Why Exercise is Amazing for Your Mental Health
Exercise is one of the best things you can do for your mental health.
(Read that again.)
I want to shout it from the rooftops. It’s. So. Good.
I am a human who has struggled with depression and anxiety disorder for the vast majority of my life.
After many failed attempts at traditional therapy and pharmaceutical medication, a natural holistic approach is what finally worked for me.
Exercise (along with sobriety and clean eating) honestly healed my mental health.
Whether you are someone who is experiencing depression and anxiety or you are simply looking for ways to feel a little happier in your every day life— here are six science-backed reasons on why engaging in consistent daily exercise is fantastic for your mental health.
1. It can be meditative.
A common misconception about meditation is that you’re supposed to sit in silence, clear your mind, and think of absolutely nothing.
But meditation is actually about training your mind to become more aware and focused in the present moment.
The “think of nothing” part is a result of the focus.
Thus, when you are focused on only the present moment (or whatever you are choosing to focus on, sometimes a body part or a mantra) — all of that chatter in your mind— the worries and anxieties and mean things you say to yourself — falls away.
Another way to accomplish this is by engaging in an exercise that requires all of your focus.
I personally practice a holistic workout routine incorporating strength training, HIIT, and pilates— mostly via YouTube.
When I am engaged in these intense workout sessions— my mind is thinking of absolutely nothing else.
It’s incredible really.
It’s an amazing kind of freedom.
So, find a workout that challenges you. A workout that requires all of your focus and attention.
Try it and when you’re finished, notice how much you thought about anything other than how much your legs were on fire.
2. It releases endorphins.
In addition to silencing the self-criticizing thoughts that may normally be swirling around in your mind— exercise actually produces chemicals in your brain that make you feel good.
Endorphins.
Endorphins are one of the four hormones classified as “feel good hormones” (along with serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin.)
Interestingly, your body releases endorphins in response to pain or stress as a way to relieve the stressor. They activate your body’s opioid response.
They’re essentially a natural, healthy pain killer.
(Our bodies are seriously so intelligent.)
Endorphins promote happiness, a sense of relaxation, well-being, and can even make you feel euphoric.
One of the ways you can trigger a release of endorphins is via exercise.
Depending on your body— essentially any form of exercise will do the trick.
However, if you’re looking for a particularly good rush— consider trying a longer workout, choosing HIIT (high intensity interval training) exercises, or exercises requiring large muscle groups (such as weightlifting)— as research has shown that these factors all play a role when it comes to endorphin release.
3. It reduces stress.
So, exercise releases chemicals in your brain that make you feel better, less stressed, happier, and more relaxed.
On top of the endorphin release, exercise helps to reduce stress hormone levels— such as those of cortisol and adrenaline.
Which doesn’t seem to make any sense, but it’s all there in the research.
This is what I mean by the intelligence of your body.
It knows exactly what to do. It knows exactly what we need. We just have to listen.
4. It helps you sleep.
Regular exercise has been found to help you sleep longer and better.
Exerting more energy throughout your day will likely lead you to feeling more rested and ready for sleep when it comes time to go to bed.
Exercise’s role in reducing stress and anxiety will also help you to feel more relaxed— with less of those thoughts swirling around in your head.
Furthermore, if you’re exercising regularly— it’s likely that you are also improving your diet (you should- diet also plays a huge role in your mental health!)
A diet lower in sugar and processed foods will also lead to a better night’s sleep.
(Here’s a post on sleep health if this is something you struggle with.)
5. It builds self-trust.
Speaking from my own experience, depression and anxiety may be an effect of a poor relationship with yourself. It was for me.
When I first got serious with my health journey— I started with running.
I started running almost every day.
Each day that I stuck with this goal, I began to feel like I could trust myself more.
You may think that the opposite of anxiety is calm but it’s not. It’s trust.
When you can trust yourself— trust your thoughts, decisions, and actions— the anxiety consuming you starts to dissipate.
If you’ve been struggling to stay consistent with exercise for years, the act of creating and then sticking to a daily goal will provide you with the feel-good satisfaction of making a promise to yourself and keeping it.
Little by little, you’ll build trust and repair the relationship you have with yourself.
The relationship you have with yourself is the most important relationship in your life!
It sets the foundation for everything else. Seriously.
(If you’re wondering how to start exercising consistently, check out this post.)
6. It helps you become more confident.
As you continue on this exercise journey— your body will most likely change.
You’ll lose weight and become stronger and leaner.
(*Depending on what your specific goals are and as long as you are keeping nutrition in mind, which as I will say again, is equally important to exercise.)
So, along with the increase in feel-good hormones, the better sleep, the stress reduction, and the building of self-trust— you’ll get to see actual physical changes in your appearance.
Which will likely make you to feel more confident in yourself.
Physical appearance is by far not the most important thing when it comes to why you should exercise.
BUT it’s definitely an amazing perk that comes with getting healthier and happier via consistently moving your body the way nature intended us to.
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