Besides improving our overall physical health, exercise can provide a boost to our mental health as well. Exercise has been proven to lift people’s spirits as it releases endorphins in our system that can brighten our outlook and reduce our stress. This is one of the positive benefits of exercise and it’s why so many people get hooked on it once they have gotten through the hard part of building up their conditioning.
The good news is that you can turbo-charge the mental health benefits from your exercise regimen if you take certain steps that will leave you feeling even more positive and with an even larger spring in your step. Check out these four tips:
Consider team sports
If you’re somebody who is struggling with mental health, it can be an isolating experience. Team sports are one of the best ways to combat mental health struggles and help get you back to feeling yourself again. Team games provide an opportunity for you to do two things that are great for mental health:physical activity and building and maintaining social connections. Besides exercise, team sports are a social experience and when you compete together, you form a bond and friendships. An added bonus: If you have competitions like softball games, you will finish off with a pizza and beer outing.
Head into nature
One other way to boost your mood is to exercise outdoors. Being in nature and under open skies can be a tranquil and peaceful experience. We are all from nature, so being in it satisfies a primal instinct in us all. You don’t have to go for a run or a cycle if you don’t feel up to it. Just walking outdoors can help ease stress and combat anxiety. Even a 30-minute stroll every day can benefit your mental health. But there are many options for outdoor activity. Pick your favorite exercise and see if you can move it outdoors for 30 minutes. You’ll be surprised by how much better you feel.
There are many options like:
- Running or jogging
- Hiking
- Biking
- Paddle-boarding
- Kayaking
- Rafting
- Mountain climbing
Be mindful as you exercise
Mindfulness is a technique that can seem difficult to master, but it’s easier than you think. Instead of listening to music as you exercise, take the time to be in the present moment. Concentrate on the sound of your own breathing, your footsteps on the pavement, or even the movement of your limbs. There isn’t a secret formula to mindfulness. It really is just about focusing on the here and now. This helps ease stress because you’re not allowing yourself to focus on negativity. And when your mind wanders, bring it back to your breath and body. One study showed that participating in both mindfulness meditation and exercise reduced symptoms of depression by 40% in just eight weeks.
Just breathe
Deep, conscious breaths are a great way to focus your mind on your body and ease pent-up stress. And there’s no better place to focus on your breathing than when you’re exercising, since you are probably breathing a little heavier than normal anyway. Some exercises force you to focus on breathing, in particular yoga. Regular yoga practice has a number of mental health benefits. The discipline:
- Creates mental clarity and calmness
- Increases body awareness
- Relieves chronic stress patterns
- Relaxes the mind
- Improves your sleep quality
- Centers attention
- Sharpens concentration.
The takeaway
As you can see, there are many ways to get even more mental health benefits from your exercise. If you feel you are in a rut despite regular exercise, consider trying some of these ideas and see if any of them work for you.
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