Feeling a little blue? Why not try a jog around the block or a session with the weights? Exercise has been proven in recent years to not only benefit our bodies, but our minds as well. And it appears that there are a number of reasons why physical activity will keep the blues at bay.
Many of us are familiar with the idea of endorphins – chemicals released by the brain that can reduce the effects of pain and put us in a more joyful state of mind. Endorphins are released through physical activity, which is why you can kiss tension and depression goodbye with a daily walk around the neighborhood. Health experts all seem to agree that exercise is indeed good for the mind. But the benefits are much more numerous and far reaching than researchers originally assumed. Daily exercise can help in all of the following areas:
Depression – A study done at Duke University a number of years ago showed that exercise is as effective in treating stress and depression as antidepressant medications are. This means that you can commit to a healthy activity every day to beat your depression, rather than rely on a medication to do so. As little as 30 minutes of physical activity each day can boost your mood effectively, and it doesn't seem to matter what type of exercise you choose – aerobic workouts, strength training and programs like Yoga all seem to make a difference in a person's mood overall.
Insomnia – I can personally attest to the benefits of daily exercise in treating insomnia. Because exercise can reduce stress and anxiety, and just plain wear your body out, many people find that a daily exercise program helps them to sleep better. In order to find out what the best time of day is for your exercise regimen to work in improving your sleep habits, the Mayo Clinic suggests that you exercise close to bedtime for two weeks, and evaluate the quality of your sleep every morning when you wake up. Next, try exercising in the morning for two weeks, and follow the same process. Average your sleep quality for those two week blocks, and determine which exercise time brought on the highest quality of sleep. Cutting back on insomnia issues is a significant step in your mental health, since depression and other conditions can lead to poor sleep habits.
Stress – Ah yes, isn't life full of stress these days? Yet most of us don't really know how to keep our stress levels in check to protect our physical as well as our mental health. The good news is that stress management can be as simple as keeping your daily date to walk the dog or spend 30 minutes with your free weights. It might be a session of Yoga or Pilates, or a trip with a friend to the local Jazzercise studio. Exercise will reduce the physical tension that inevitably accompanies stress, clear our minds and lift our spirits.
Self Esteem – Studies show that regular exercise makes us feel good about ourselves. Logically, this makes a lot of sense – after all, if we look better, we tend to feel better and exercise is the first step in keeping our weight in check and our body healthy. Exercise also helps our self esteem, because when we stick with an exercise program, we feel a sense of accomplishment for a job well done. That kind of satisfaction is always good for the mind as well as the body.
So if you're feeling sad and blue, get off the couch and get moving. There are few things better for your mind than exercise.
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