It is a well known fact that exercise and activity have profound benefits for your physical health, but more and more research is showing that it can also have positive effects on your mental health. According to the FindCounseling.com Mental Health Journal, physical activity can alleviate sadness, tension and anger, boost confidence, and reduce anxiety and stress, which all contribute to improved mental health and overall well being.
Exercise to Reduce Anxiety
Chronic anxiety contributes to a number of physical and emotional effects, but regular exercise can be part of an effective treatment plan. While any amount of activity or exercise will not completely cure anxiety, the physical and psychological benefits can improve the symptoms. Doing something active for at least 30 minutes, three to five days a week can help alleviate anxiety as effectively as some medications, and the results will most likely last longer. Engaging in aerobic exercise such as jogging, swimming or dancing can especially reduce anxiety in people who do not already exercise regularly or have severe anxiety.
Stay Active to Beat Depression
According to Harvard Medical School, depression affects approximately 19 million adults every year, but a regular exercise program might help improve mood in people with mild to moderate depression and play a role in treating severe depression. Studies on exercise show that exercise amplifies the role of endorphins, which are chemicals that circulate throughout the body. These chemicals have the power to naturally boost immunity and reduce the feeling of pain. It is also speculated that exercise stimulates a neurotransmitter in the brain called norepinephrine, which may have a direct impact on mood.
Clear Your Mind
Another benefit of engaging in regular activity is that exercise can help clear your mind of frustrations. According to the Life Coach Expert, exercise provides a distraction from feelings of anger, frustration or fear, which you might allow to take hold of you if you did not have exercise to keep your mind occupied. Even when you are participating in a sport that requires focus, attention and competition, you are practicing a healthy type of frustration and drive that allows you to get your energy, aggression and anxiety out while moving your body and promoting your health.
Try Yoga
Going for a daily stroll or hitting a dance club with your partner to alleviate anxiety and reduce depression can help, but establishing a mind-body connection through yoga can provide added benefits. According to the American Psychological Association, the practice of yoga, which combines stretching with deep breathing, can help strengthen social attachments, reduce stress, anxiety and depression, and relieve insomnia. More clinicians are starting to use yoga as a complement to psychotherapy to help people cope with stress and anxieties and heal emotional wounds.
References
- FindCounseling.com Mental Health Journal: Mental Health Benefits of Exercise
- OhioHealth.com: Depression and anxiety: Exercise eases symptoms
- Harvard Medical School: Exercise and Depression
- American Psychological Association: Yoga as a practice tool
- Life Coach Expert: Exercise for Increasing Happiness and Confidence
