How Physical Exercise Helps Your Mental Health

If you are anything like me, the last year and change has been a bit of a challenge both mentally and emotionally. Last March, hit me like a ton of bricks; like it did to many Canadians and others around the globe. I was laid off for the first time in my life, I was worried about the health and safety of my friends and family,  I was terrified about not being able to make my mortgage payments and as someone who battles their own demons I was worried that being in isolation would ruin all the progress I had made coping with my anxiety. It took several months to get myself in a positive mindset. Finding tasks to accomplish around the home, deciding to continue my education with online programs, exercising and to contact my former therapist helped greatly. What finally worked for me was focusing on perspective. Covid has affected everyone, whether you are a small business owner, a parent, a student, a teacher or a frontline worker. I was so caught up on how it was affecting my mental health that I did not consider others; which is out of character for me. 

Fast forward several months and several lockdowns I am now a proud business owner (and dog owner) and continue helping people with their health and fitness journeys. This pandemic has not only taught me the value of appreciating friends, family and former colleagues, but the value of exercise and getting outside our "comfort" zones to really flourish and make smarter more disciplined decisions. There are various reasons to exercise, like staying healthy, gaining muscle or losing fat. However, did you know that exercise also helps your emotional and mental health? 

Exercise and activity is a very powerful tool that may change your whole outlook. These reasons include reducing stress, sleeping better, increasing happiness, improved self confidence, increased cognitive function and alleviate anxiety; which is a big one for me. I would like to highlight some of these benefits.

Reducing Stress

The ability of exercise to reduce mental and physical stress has been well documented. Heading to the gym or working out on your home gym equipment can have a robust release on certain stress chemicals that help the brain moderate stress. Also, when putting the body under physical stress regularly, this teaches the body how to recover and adapt to stress both physically and mentally.

Sleep Better

Because of the body’s need to recover from exercise, your brain will make you tired earlier and help you sleep more soundly throughout the night. The human body recovers at night when we sleep; this is the most profound effect of recovery from training sessions. Without sleep, you will not progress as quickly building muscle or burning fat. A challenging or strenuous workout will certainly help you fall asleep and stay asleep. 

Increased Happiness

Exercise can increase the release of endorphins, which act in a similar fashion as pain medicine interacting with your brain’s neurotransmitters. These endorphins release naturally by exercise and have been shown to reduce depression and increase feelings of “euphoria” post-workout. In addition, exercising outdoors can also give you a boost of happiness. Similar to a "runner's high. Don't you want to be happier and healthier?

Better Self Confidence

Many factors make this a great benefit from exercise. First off, your social skills get a “workout” leading to more confidence in and out of the gym. You will likely be more confident in the gym environment which will carry over to other aspects of your career and personal life. Lastly, you will also be improving your positive self-image and self-talk, all the while increasing the perception of your self-worth.

Increased Cognitive Function

It has been shown that as we age, our cognitive functions tend to decline. Regular exercise at any age can affect the part of the brain that acts on memory  and improve its function. This is also true for our ability to learn. Through the same adaptations people who exercise often are able to retain new information and apply it easier. 

Alleviate Anxiety

The function here is very similar to what was discussed above with endorphins. Exercise has been shown to be even more successful at reducing anxiety than an Epsom salt bath, and on the same level as a massage. Exercise helps reduce feelings of anxiety because it not only releases endorphins, but gives your mind something else to focus on, like keeping your breathing steady. A busy mind is a strong mind!

These benefits from exercise in conjunction with my business' core principles; accountability, consistency and dedication may very lead to a happier, healthier and better version of you. I know it has certainly helped me with the daily stresses and anxiety of being a small business owner in a pandemic. I will give my dog Titan some credit as well. He has been instrumental in helping me cope. 

If you want to improve your mental, emotional and physical health I would be happy to help. Whether personal training, virtual training, a custom workout plan or a drop in at one of my bootcamps fits your schedule, budget and needs I am here to provide assistance and guidance. 

Book your consultation now!