Most of us know the many physical benefits of exercise: weight control, lower blood pressure, reduced risk of diabetes and increased energy, just to name a few. But what are the psychological benefits of exercise?
From easing symptoms of depression and anxiety to increasing the size of the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for memory, there is no shortage of mental benefits of exercise. In this weeks blog we will explore five.
5 Psychological Benefits of Exercise
You can reap all the physical and mental health benefits of exercise with 30 minutes of moderate exercise five times per week. However, please note that even just a few minutes of physical activity is better than none at all.
Physical activity improves self-esteem
Exercising can make you feel more comfortable with yourself and increase your self confidence. Doing things to take care of our bodies and pushing our limits also makes us see ourselves more positively. Not only does exercise make us feel better it helps to improve our endurance, to lose weight and increase muscle tone which can all add up to a boost in our self-esteem.
2. It releases "happy" chemicals in the brain.
One of the effects that physical activity has on the brain is the activation of endorphin production. Endorphin is a chemical substance that acts as a neurotransmitter. These endorphins interact with receptors in your brain that reduce your perception of pain. Simultaneously, these same endorphins trigger a positive feeling of happiness.
3. Reduces stress and anxiety.
Exercise is a naturel and effective anti-anxiety treatment. Ever noticed how your body feels when you are under stress? Your muscles may be tense, especially in your face, neck and shoulders, leaving you with back pain or headaches? Or perhaps you have been plagued with insomnia, heartburn, stomachache or diarrhea? Exercise is an effective way of breaking these cycles. While not only releasing endorphins in the brain, it also helps to relax the muscles and relieve tension in the body. Increasing your heart rate can also actually reduce stress-induced brain damage by stimulating the production of neurohormones and norepinephrine, which not only improve cognition and mood but improve thinking clouded by stressful events.
4. It helps to protects us from cognitive decline.
Physical activity can help prevent Alzheimer’s disease, but new research finds aerobic exercise in particular may help slow shrinkage in the hippocampus, the part of the brain that deals with memory. It is speculated that aerobics may be unique to other forms of exercise because it increases vascular function or certain factors that encourage neuron growth and survival, which may reduce the harmful effects of amyloid plaques on neurons in the hippocampus. While it is not understood how exercise lowers dementia risk, we know that heart-healthy behaviors like exercise lead to better vascular health and therefore better brain health. Unfortunately, exercise can’t completely prevent or cure dementia but is a start to healthier living.
5. Better sleep.
If you have trouble getting a good night’s sleep, exercise can help with that, too. Physical activity increases body temperature, which can have calming effects on the mind, leading to less sheep counting and more shuteye. Exercise also helps regulate your circadian rhythm, our bodies’ built-in alarm clock that controls when we feel tired and when we feel alert. (Although improved sleep is a psychological benefit of exercise, sleep experts recommend not exercising close to bedtime.)
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