Most people see the connection between physical health and exercise but overlook the effect that exercise has on mental health. The body and mind are connected in many ways. The more you exercise, there’s an increase in circulation. It sends oxygen and nutrient-rich blood to all body parts, including the brain, so you’ll think more clearly. Besides cognitive functioning, exercise can affect mood. Think about the last time you pushed hard doing something physical. Your body may have hurt, but your mood was probably good. Exercise is a mood enhancer.
If stress is a problem, exercise can help reduce its effects.
Stress won’t hurt your body unless you let it. That’s right. Some people don’t let stressful situations bother them. Others learn techniques like meditation to bring down stress levels. One final group handles stress by getting physical to burn off stress hormones that make bodily changes to prepare for fighting or running. The fight or flight response made changes in the body that helped early man survive. Those changes diverted blood flow to the extremities to increase strength or endurance. Exercising mimics those movements. It burns off stress hormones and sends in ones to make you feel better.
Mental health counselors learned that exercise is a good adjunct therapy.
Many therapists now recommend exercise in conjunction with therapy. They use it instead of medication for people with depression or anxiety. It works as well as some medications, with the only side effect being a healthier body. Exercise increases the production of GABA—gamma-aminobutyric acid—and glutamate, two neurotransmitters. People with depression often have depleted stores. They return to normal levels with exercise.
You’ll improve your gut microbiome with exercise.
The microbes in your gut outnumber the cells in your body. Some people call the microbiome an organ. There are beneficial and harmful microbes in the gut microbiome. When you exercise, it boosts the variety of microbes and the number of beneficial ones. Microbes perform many tasks that range from aiding digestion to affecting brain functioning and mood. Scientists are just learning their effect. Scientists believe some mental health conditions occur because of an imbalance in the microbiome. These include ADD, depression, schizophrenia, and anxiety. Studies show that diet and exercise make a difference in the microbiome and mental health.
- Exercise reduces inflammation and increases BDNF—brain-derived neurotrophic factor. BDNF is vital for mood regulation because it regulates the neuroimmune system. The more you exercise, the more BDNF you have, and the better your mood.
- The new neural pathways in the brain created by exercise change the brain structure in areas that affect depression, schizophrenia, and anxiety. Exercising can also divert your attention from present problems and bring some relief.
- All types of exercise can build confidence. Strength training can improve posture, too. Improved posture makes you look more confident, which makes you feel confident and less anxious or depressed.
- Exercise helps you sleep more soundly. Adequate quality sleep improves your energy and mood. It gives your brain time to reorganize and repair.
For more information, contact us today at Hawaii Fit Camp!