It’s no secret that everyone knows exercise is key to a healthy lifestyle. In addition to helping you keep control of your weight and avoiding various health conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes, physical activity can also substantially improve your mental health. Here are six ways exercise can boost your mood.
- Positive Emotions
Your mindset can determine whether you experience good mental health. Physical activity causes your body to release endorphins, which are feel-good hormones that interact with your brain’s receptors. As a result, they can reduce pain and can trigger more positive feelings, similar to the effects of morphine. You can enjoy a more positive outlook on life simply by getting moving!
- A Sense of Accomplishment
Your professional or home life might, at times, feel a little overwhelming. However, as you can more easily control your performance during exercise, completing a goal however big or small leads to a sense of accomplishment. Setting and achieving workout goals can, therefore, make a person feel more successful. Even if you manage to get nothing else done that day, you will still have a reason to feel proud of yourself. So, set a goal to run a certain distance, climb a mountain, or complete a fitness class – and you can find dedicated sports classes to help you embrace physical activity and help achieve your goals at HulaHub.
- Social Benefits
It is often beneficial to exercise with friends rather than alone, as social interaction can help to combat a downcast mood. Working out with others will allow you to connect with like-minded people, and you’ll each support each other as you work towards the same goal. It can improve your mood and outlook, both to exercise and everyday life. So, get together regularly with friends to hit the gym, run through the park, or attend a fitness class.
- Resist Stress
People who regularly exercise are reportedly better at coping with stress. Keeping fit alters the dorsal raphe nucleus within the brain, which is responsible for regulating a person’s mood. Physical activity produces serotonin, a neurotransmitter, which allows a person to keep control of their mood. It can also produce Substance P, which is a neurotransmitter that alerts them to stress.
- Improved Body Satisfaction
Exercise can lead to a leaner, toned body, which can dramatically improve your self-esteem. As a result, you will feel more comfortable in your own skin and happier in your clothing, which can make you feel more comfortable with who you are in comparison to those who do not work out regularly.
- Happier, Healthier Relationships
Research has found that people who regularly workout report better relationships. This could be because you may feel better about yourself and so feel happier and more confident in a relationship. A better mood can also result in more positive conversations with your partner, which can help a relationship avoid an unwanted rough patch. So, caring for your health can care for your relationship, which can boost your personal happiness and relationship security.