We all know the benefits exercise offers for your physical health. It can help strengthen your body, reduce the risk of several diseases, and improve your stamina. But exercise is also a highly recommended way to improve your mental health. Here are four ways exercise positively affects your brain as well as your body.
It can help with depression.
Many things happen to your brain when you exercise, especially if you do it regularly. For one, exercise releases several neurotransmitters. These are chemicals that carry signals from one neuron to another. Exercising makes you release endorphins, a type of neurotransmitter that blocks out pain and increases the feeling of pleasure. This, in turn, can ease bouts of depression.
Exercise can also be a form of distraction, especially if your depression fills your head with overwhelming, negative thoughts. Pouring all of your focus onto a particular exercise can silence your brain, even if just for a few moments. Plus, seeing the other benefits that exercise gives you, such as better health or stronger muscles and bones, can improve your self-esteem.
It can make your brain healthier.
Exercise affects your brain just as much as it affects your body, and not just in terms of your mental health. For one, exercise promotes neuroplasticity. This is the nervous system’s ability to change its activity in response to any kind of stimuli. Examples of your brain demonstrating neuroplasticity include learning a new instrument or memorizing your route to work. This can help you learn new skills easier.
Your circulatory system is also hard at work when you exercise, promoting blood flow and providing more oxygen to your brain. Increased blood flow can help prevent conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and stroke. Meanwhile, more oxygen can improve your memory and self-control.
It can help you sleep better.
Many people suffer from insomnia, and it’s often a symptom of many other mental illnesses, such as depression and anxiety. Sleep deprivation has several long-term consequences, such as high blood pressure, a weakened immune system, and poor memory. It also leads to declining mental health, creating a downward spiral of mental and physical health that can be difficult to climb out of.
Exercise is a great way to start climbing out of that cycle. Exercising in the mornings or afternoons can fix your circadian rhythm, also known as our internal body clock, later at night. Exercise also increases your body temperature, which has soothing effects that lead to better, deeper sleep. Before you begin though, remember that exercising directly before bed can actually reduce sleep quality. The best way to get your daily exercise is by doing it in either the mornings or afternoons.
It’s an opportunity to form new connections.
Exercising is a social activity too, if you know where to look. Humans are naturally social creatures, and exercising alongside people with similar goals can motivate you into committing to the habit. Plus, exercising with others is the perfect opportunity to make new friends. Surrounding yourself with positive connections can improve your mental health.
If you’re interested in exercising with others, there are plenty of communities for you to join. You can get a membership to your nearby gym and strike up a conversation with the people around you. You can also sign up for classes for a certain activity, such as yoga or zumba, and meet like-minded people right away. There are even online groups for you to join if you’re not ready to meet anyone in real life.
Exercise might seem daunting to get into, especially if you’re not used to it, but remember to keep on trying. Your health, whether it be mental or physical, will be all the better for it. Good luck!