Think that exercise is only good for building strength in your body? Think again. Exercise is also great for cognitive function and memory, and it can also promote mental wellness by helping to reduce stress, relieve anxiety, and combat depression.
Keep reading to learn more, and then consider becoming more physically active every day if you want to improve the way your brain functions.
All You Need Is a Single Workout Session to Improve Mental Wellness!
According to The New York Times, completing just one moderate intensity workout can have immediate, positive impacts on the way that your brain functions. Researchers have found that exercise can also help improve your memory and how your brain operates in the long run, provided that you continue to exercise on a regular basis, as the effects are cumulative. So, the more you exercise on a regular schedule, the better.
Studies in People Have Shown Exercise Can Boost Brain Function
Sure, animal studies had already shown that exercise can have positive effects on the brain, and on the ability to think clearly. What about in humans? Are the effects the same? The answer is yes, exercise also boosts brain function and mental wellness in people.
In fact, studies in people have even shown that exercising regularly and over an extended period of time can boost the volume of the brain’s hippocampus. This is a part of the brain that plays a role in memory. So, if you want to improve the way you perform in school or on the job, and in everyday life, make it a point to exercise regularly, as doing so can help boost brain performance.
The Various Ways Exercise Promotes Mental Wellness
Exercise Can Support Mental Wellness by Fighting Depression
Are you feeling depressed or anxious lately? Then it might be worth starting a workout routine, as exercise can help you maintain mental wellness by helping you get rid of feelings of depression and anxiety.
Experts have discovered that exercising can be helpful when it comes to tackling mild to moderate depression, and it can be as effective as medication to treat depression. This means you can get the benefits without the side effects. Plus, the best part is that, if you keep it up, you might even reduce the odds of relapsing back into your depressive state. Wow!
Exercise Can be Used to Fight Anxiety, Too
When it comes to anxiety, exercising can be a natural remedy that you can turn to. The physical activity can help relieve tension in the mind and body. Also, because of the release of endorphins, working out can elevate your mood so you no longer feel on edge. So, this is just another way that exercise can support mental wellness.
Feeling Stressed? Exercise Can Help with That!
When you’re stressed, it can be difficult to get through your day at work and at home. While people might recommend things like meditation and relation techniques, if these don’t do the trick, you’ll just continue feeling frazzled. Over time, all of that stress can take its toll on your physical well-being, in addition to your mental wellness, so it’s important to find a good way to get rid of it.
If you haven’t yet tried exercising to relieve stress, it’s definitely a good idea to start now. Exercising will help remove the tension from the muscles throughout your body, which tend to become tight when you are under mental and emotional stress. And, again, because of the release of endorphins in your brain, working out will also help relieve any tension that you have in your mind. Plus, your workout session is a wonderful opportunity to step away from the hustle and bustle of your everyday life and your to-do list so you can focus on yourself for a bit.
Start a Consistent Exercise Program
You know how you feel so good after a great workout? Well, that’s part of exercise’s positive effects on the brain. If you want to continue supporting mental well-being, just keep exercising. The physical activity will continue having a positive impact on your brain, and you might find yourself concentrating and remembering things more easily. Plus, you’ll be doing wonderful things for the rest of your body, too, so exercise is definitely a must for overall health.
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