Most of us, at some point in our lives, will experience stress or anxiety or be aware of others experiencing deeper mental health issues. However, when it comes to mental health, most of us have heard the benefits working out can have, both on the mind and the body, but are yet to receive the full euphoric potential from a workout.
No matter how experienced you are in the gym, that post workout buzz comes after every workout. In-fact, it has been proven that from completing a 20-30 minute workout, endorphins and that ‘buzz’ can last for up to 2-3 hours. Not only will you feel better and happier with yourself post exercise, but this could be one step on the road improving your physical and mental health, as well as easing any mental health issues you may be experiencing.
If you often suffer from poor mental health, know someone having their own battles, or want a new way to overcome those down days, read on to hear how exercising can impact the various mental health conditions out there.
How exercising can combat mental health issues
As exercising helps to relieve stress and tension, yet also boost physical and mental energy, below we have detailed how exercising can have a positive impact on various mental health conditions:
1. Anxiety
Anxiety. Many of us experience this when undergoing times of uncertainty, when the outcome is unknown, or when experiencing trauma. Triggers can include for example; exam stress, personal anxieties, or anxiety for an up-and-coming event.
As a natural and effective anti-anxiety treatment, exercising can relieve tension and stress, boost physical and mental energy, and enhance well-being through the release of endorphins. Scientists all over the world have explained the enormous benefits aerobic exercise can have on anxiety.
When you begin exercising for your anxiety, you’ll gain more anti-anxiety benefits if you pay attention to your body during exercise, instead of zoning out. By drawing attention to your feet hitting the ground when you are on a run, or focusing on the rhythm of your breath, or wind against your skin, exercising will be full of mindfulness.
As those with anxiety will know, it can be difficult to eradicate thoughts passing in and out of your head, so by drawing attention to certain elements, you will allow yourself to interrupt the flow of constant worries and take your mind elsewhere.
2. Depression
By finding an exciting activity you can do regularly, especially with a social element to it, can have enormous benefits for those suffering with depression. As exercising help stimulating brain growth, these include the growth of neural and reduction in inflammation, all these end up making you feel calm and mindful.
Getting relief from your depression, even if it is for 20-30 minutes a day, can be possible by doing some exercise. Exercising releases endorphins, which are powerful feel good chemicals. Not only do you experience post-workout benefits but exercise can also prove to be a great distraction and help in taking your mind off things when you need it the most.
3. Stress relief
The three main types of stress includes; acute stress, episodic acute stress, or chronic stress.
If you are experiencing stress, whether that is work-related stress, relationship-related stress or some other trying time, it could lead to tension in your muscles, particularly the one belonging to the neck, face, and the shoulders. Not only will you suffer from tenseness but this will leave you a lot of pain throughout your head, and upper body.
You might be thinking that exercising may contribute to worsening your tightness, but in-fact exercising is an effective way to break this cycle and relieve stress and tension in your body. Actually, physical activity helps relax the muscles and relieve tension in the body.
By carrying out pre and post workout stretches, you will loosen the tightness caused by stress and also leave your body feeling great post workout. For an extra stress-relieving perk, it might be wise to use certain muscle recovery products that will penetrate your muscle to loosen some of the tightness, such as a muscle massager gun. This is a great way to stimulate the blood flow and to ease inflammation and soreness, caused by your body’s response to a difficult time.
Feel better with exercise
It is always important to take care of yourself, both in mind and body. Whether you are suffering from certain mental health issues or having a particularly hard time in your life, be sure to invest in exercises and practices that will make you feel better.
By developing an exercise routine, specifically to treat your specific mental health struggles, you will experience benefits both physically and mentally.
Remember, your body is your home and you have to take care of it.Â
Article Submitted By Community Writer
