How Working Out Boosts Your Mental Health
Although many people initiate their workout journey for physical benefits such as weight loss and toning, the psychological benefits can be even more advantageous. Exercising is known to play a significant role in improving mental health and is a common remedy prescribed by physicians for treating mental illness. After just one workout, you may begin to notice your enhanced mood, an increase in energy levels and experience quality sleep. In light of May being Mental Health Awareness Month, we’ve compiled a list of the top benefits exercise has on your mental health.
Psychological Benefits
The psychological benefits experienced from regular exercise are a huge motivating aspect to keeping people healthy both mentally and physically. You don’t have to be a gym fanatic to experience the psychological benefits of exercising either. People who engage in moderate physical activity are bound to notice a significant psychological difference.
Let’s get into the benefits of exercise on your mental health.
Reduced stress
Not only is stress extremely mentally draining, but it can also cause physical symptoms such as muscle tension, headaches, chest tightness, heartburn, and overall discomfort. Physical activity decreases stress hormones and releases endorphins which are natural mood-boosting hormones. Such hormones allow both your body and your brain to relax. Engaging in regular physical activity enables people to be better equipped to deal with daily stressors.
Anxiety relief
Similar to how exercising reduces stress, it also helps relieve anxiety through the release of endorphins. To experience the most anxiety relief through exercising, it’s important to be mindful while you’re working out. Rather than zoning out, focus on your breathing and the sensations your body is feeling to help disrupt the anxious thoughts running through your head.
Social Support System
One of the best things about exercising is that you don’t have to do it alone! Many forms of exercise can be done socially. Whether you go for a walk with a friend, attend a workout class, join an online workout community or a sports team, exercising with others is motivating and stress relieving in itself. Having a like-minded support system that is keen on achieving similar goals will provide great benefits to your mental health.
Stronger resilience
Working out is a great outlet to help cope with the many challenges life throws at you. Regular exercise will boost your immune system, reduce the impacts of stress and will help build your overall resilience. Adopting healthy coping mechanisms is key to achieving positive well-being.
Increased confidence & self-esteem
Once you’ve gotten into a workout routine that works for you, it helps to set small exercise goals. Achieving such goals will provide you with a sense of accomplishment and self-worth. Plus, if exercise becomes a habit, you’re bound to feel more confident about your appearance too.
Improved brain function & productivity
Exercise is known to be a great way to clear your mind. Once you’ve established a regular workout routine, you may begin to experience sharper memory and thinking. Hormones released from exercising promote concentration and lead to increased productivity. Regular exercise also helps reduce age-related decline and memory loss.
How Working Out Impacts Our Trainers Mental Health
Stef: “As a mom of two, I’ve gone through the ups and downs of postpartum depression and anxiety. Learning about this has made me realize I deal with anxiety on a regular basis and workouts are my outlet. They clear my head and they are the part of my days I can control. Sometimes mental health is uncontrollable and strikes for no reason at any time. Talking about it and knowing how to soothe yourself is very important. I’ve learned a lot about myself in the past five years of motherhood, but the most important one is that seeing a therapist does not mean you’re weak. Get the help you need, mental and physical health deserve attention. I’m always here if anyone needs to chat."
Emma B: "The gym has become so much more than a place to work on my physique. As a student, the gym became my escape from sitting at a desk studying and allowed me to have time to focus on myself. Now, as a full-time worker, I use exercise to debrief from my day and turn my thoughts off for an hour. I can’t stress enough the importance of taking care of your overall health. Our bodies are meant to move and the benefits are endless!"
Jodie: “Even a small amount of physical activity can help me clear my mind. Whether it be a walk or a HIIT class at Sweat Club, I always finish feeling like I have renewed energy and more motivation to tackle what’s ahead of me that day.”
Laura: "When I started working out it was purely for aesthetic reasons since I competed in bikini competitions. Now, my workouts are almost 100% for my mental health. My energy, mood, and creativity all suffer if I miss my workouts. Moving my body has become my therapy."
As you can tell, there are so many psychological benefits of exercise.
Getting into a regular exercise routine doesn’t have to be intimidating, it can be as easy as going for a daily walk, jog, or run. You will begin to feel the benefits exercise has on your mood almost instantly, and the rest will follow. Ask a friend or family member to join you in your journey of pursuing regular exercise and reap the benefits together! If you’re looking for more guidance and motivation with exercising, at Sweat Club we offer a variety of group workout classes, personal training options and online workout communities. Even if you don’t have any physical health goals in mind, do it for your mental health!