1) Helps with Depression and Anxiety
Depression and anxiety are the most common mental illness in the world. Scientists have proved that regular exercises can significantly decrease both conditions and boost our mood. The reason is simple. When we exercise, our body secretes a high level of hormone endorphins. This hormone is famous for its production of feelings of happiness and joy. Just a small amount of exercise, such as 15 minutes a day, can drastically improve our mental health in the long run.
2) Improves our stress-coping mechanisms
When we’re under stress, our muscles tend to tense. That may leave us with headache, back or neck pain. It can also cause other unpleasant conditions such as insomnia, diarrhea, or more urination than usual. These symptoms may induce even more stress in leaving us in a vicious cycle that we are unable to break. Exercise is here to help. As we already mentioned, when we exercise our body produces a higher level of endorphins, a hormone that stimulates happiness and reduces stress levels. It also helps our muscles relax and relieve the tension in our body.
3) Leads to a Better Sleep
Another important link between exercise and mental health is that regular exercising improves the quality of our sleep. A normal sleep cycle is almost crucial when it comes to mental health. Regular exercising increases body temperature and higher body temperature has a soothing effect on our minds. It also regulates our circadian rhythm, which is a natural ‘clock’ in our body that controls our daily wake-sleep schedule. Bear in mind that, although exercise is great for your sleep, you shouldn’t exercise right before bed.
4) Sharpens memory
Exercise can improve your brainpower in many ways. Recent studies on both humans and mice showed that exercise leads to the creation of new brain cells. It also reduces the risk of disorders such as diabetes and various cardiovascular diseases that may lead to early memory loss. Parts of the brain that are responsible for thinking and memory are larger in people who exercise regularly. Also, by improving our mood and reducing the stress level, exercise indirectly sharpens our memory and thinking skills.
5) Increases self-esteem
Exercising leads to many physical benefits, such as weight loss and muscle gain. These physical achievements can lead to a more positive self-image and boost our self-esteem. As we already said, exercise puts us in a positive mood, and a positive state of mind creates a positive self-image. It also gives us a sense of accomplishment once we completed our short-term and long-term exercise goals.