Exercise for the Betterment of Mental Health

Jessica Bell

Apr 12, 2022


Exercise for Better Mental Health


“Even when all is known, the care of a man is not yet complete, because eating alone will not keep a man well; he must also take exercise. For food and exercise, while possessing opposite qualities, yet work together to produce health.” - Hippocrates

Did you know that exercise can actually help improve mental health? It's true! Exercise releases happy hormones, which can help improve your mood and make you feel better overall. Not only that, but exercise is a great way to reduce stress levels and clear your mind. In this blog post, we will discuss the benefits of exercise for mental health and how you can get started today!

The many physical advantages of exercise are well-known: weight reduction, lower blood pressure, decreased incidence of diabetes, and increased energy, to name a few. The most obvious benefits are usually for physical health, but what about the psychological benefits of exercise? There's no lack of mental rewards from exercising; whether you're looking for motivation to go to the gym or just want to go for a quick walk around the block. Here are some mental health benefits of exercise:

  1. Helps improve mood and reduce stress levels. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins. Endorphins are hormones that block pain signals from the brain and also produce a feeling of euphoria which is commonly known as a "runner's high." Exercising also releases serotonin, a neurotransmitter that plays a role in happiness, contentment, and satisfaction.

  1. Clears your mind. When you're focused on your workout, you're not thinking about anything else. This can be a great way to take a mental break from whatever is stressing you out.

  2. Helps with anxiety and depression. Exercise has been shown to be an effective treatment for both anxiety and depression. It can improve mood, reduce stress, and increase self-esteem. With this, exercise can help with managing mental health disorders and even preventing it.

  3. Helps improve sleep quality. Regular exercise can help you fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly. Exercise also helps to improve the quality of your sleep by reducing the amount of time you spend in REM sleep, the stage of sleep where dreams occur. It is believed that people who exercise regularly have less need for REM sleep because they are able to process emotions and memories more efficiently during the day.

  4. Creates new brain cells. Neurogenesis is the creation of new brain cells. And exercise has been shown to increase neurogenesis! In a study, rats that were given access to an exercise wheel had increased neurogenesis in the hippocampus, which is the part of the brain responsible for memory and learning.

So, how can you get started with exercising for the betterment of mental health?



Now that you know how good exercise is for your physical and mental health, you may want to start incorporating exercise into your everyday life. Don't miss out on the many health benefits or exercise! If you're new to exercise, or if you haven't been active in a while, it's important to start slowly and build up gradually. Here are a few tips to get you started:

  1. Find an activity that you enjoy. If you don't enjoy the activity, you're less likely to stick with it. Don't be afraid to explore and see what works for you. You can follow an exercise program curated for your goals or try popular exercises such as yoga, weight training, etc.

  2. Set realistic goals. If your goal is too difficult, you may get discouraged and give up. Set a goal to walk for 15 minutes a day, and then gradually increase the time as you become more comfortable.

  3. Find a friend or family member to exercise with you. Exercising with someone else can make it more enjoyable and help you stay on track. Find someone that will motivate you or influence your workout buddy to be physically healthy as well.

  4. Start small and gradually increase the amount of time or intensity of your workouts. Exercise should be challenging, but not too difficult. You can start with gentle stretching and challenge yourself with vigorous physical activity when you're ready.

  5. Listen to your body. If you're feeling pain or discomfort, stop and rest. What may work for others may not work for you. Start with moderate physical activity until you feel your body starting to be in sync with your mind and your goals.

As you can see, exercise can do so much more than just dealing with issues of weight gain. Exercising has many mental benefits and is good for your psychological health as well! Here's your sign to get up and get moving! So put on those sneakers and get out there! Your mental and physical health will thank you for it.