Why Mental Health and Fitness Go Hand-in-Hand

Why Mental Health and Fitness Go Hand-in-Hand

Regular exercise deeply improves depression, anxiety, and ADHD. It also brings relief from stress, enhances memory, and helps you sleep well. No matter if you are young or old and considering any type of fitness, you will learn how exercise can become a powerful tool for handling mental health issues and improving your energy and outlook for getting the most out of life.

1. Treats Depression

Exercise helps you fight depression. In the first place, it encourages all forms of changes in the brain, including neural growth, reduced inflammation, and new activity patterns that promote feelings of calm and well-being. Finally, exercise can be taken as a distraction in itself: sometimes, it allows people to find some quiet time away from thoughts causing depression patterns.

2. Exercise and Anxiety

Pay attention to feeling your feet on the ground, the silky rhythm of your breathing, or the stroking of the wind on your body. These simple, present-minded observations can bring your attention to the present and increase your awareness of your body. It may not only make you fit, but it might soothe the chatter in your mind, allowing you a respite from your everyday concerns.

3. Helps With ADHD

Exercise is one of the simplest and most effective treatments for reducing symptoms of ADHD and improving concentration, motivation, memory, and mood. The brain chemicals that help increase dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin boost instantly, which helps affect focus and attention. Exercise works inside of the body in similar ways that ADHD medications like Ritalin and Adderall work. Men over 40 need to exercise especially so they stay in shape and get rid of mental problems as well.

4. Helps Fight PTSD and Trauma

This evidence shows that by actually paying attention to your body and what it feels like as you exercise, you are helping your nervous system get "unstuck" and begin moving out of the immobilization stress response that characterizes PTSD or trauma. Be mindful of the sensations in your joints and muscles as well as inside the body as they move through space. Some of the best choices are cross-movement exercises involving arms and legs, such as walking, especially on sand; running; swimming; weight training; or dancing.

Outdoor activities that have been found to reduce the symptoms of PTSD include hiking, sailing, mountain biking, rock climbing, whitewater rafting, and skiing (downhill and cross-country).

5. Sharper Memory and Thinking

These endorphins are the same ones that will make you feel better, yet they help your concentration and mentally keep you sharp for things you need to accomplish. Exercising also fosters new brain cells and slows down age-related loss. Physical activity can reduce stress in athletes and give their memory a sharp boost.

Be A Weekend Warrior

Feel overwhelmed at work and can't seem to fit in time to exercise during the week? A new UK study found that people with packed exercise schedules squeezed into one or two sessions over the weekend, gain almost the same health benefits as those exercising regularly. Use no excuse for being busy at work, home, or school for not being active. Move your body whenever you can find time for it; both your mind and your body will thank you!

Conclusion 

You don't have to spend hours in a gym or force yourself into long, monotonous workouts to experience the many benefits of exercise. These tips can help you find activities you enjoy and start to feel better, look better, and get more out of life.