why does physical activity improve mental health

You don’t have to put your body into extreme modes of physical activity to feel a difference. Reaping the mental health benefits of exercise is easier than you think. Increased resiliency: Using physical activity as a stress-reliever can help build resilience and cope with challenges in a healthy way instead of resorting to damaging behaviours.Increased levels of self-love: Exercise can vastly improve your perception of your body image and athletic abilities, plus enhance your self-esteem which can positively affect your social and emotional wellness.Once physical activity becomes a habit, your mood will significantly improve when accomplishing your fitness and health goals.

Increased levels of happiness: Regular activity is an investment in your mind, body, and even your soul.

Lowered levels of sleep deprivation: Exercise at any point in the day can promote and regular sleeping patterns.

Getting into a full-body activity can reroute your brain from diving into negative streams of thought.

Lowered levels of trauma: Similar to anxiety, focusing your entire movement and mindset on an aerobic activity such as swimming or hiking can relieve your nervous system of going into panic mode.

Adding the mindfulness component is not only anti-anxiety inducing but therapeutic. Narrowing your mindset to a workout, whether it is 15 minutes or an hour, is enough to settle the mind of racing thoughts and give you a different perspective by the end of your workout.

Lowered levels of anxiety: Purely focusing on body movement can break the anxiety cycle.

By putting your body into an active mode, you will be able to actually feel the tension slowly fading away from your muscles, as well as the mind.

Lowered levels of stress: Along with the endorphins being pumped out from the brain, exercise can relieve symptoms of physical pain including tense and strained muscles.

They are released into the body to relieve stress and pain. This good feeling is courtesy of natural chemicals called endorphins.

Lowered levels of depression: Continuously being active can cause new activity patterns in the brain to promote feelings of well-being.

Why does physical activity improve mental health