How Fitness Helps With Mental Health

The term “mental fitness” has been used for decades to refer to a person’s ability to stay mentally alert and active throughout life. The idea is that the same kinds of activities that keep your body fit also help keep your brain healthy.

Fitness isn’t just about looking good, and it can also help you feel better.

But what’s the link between fitness and mental health? And how can you use it to your advantage?

The answer is simple: exercise releases endorphins and other “feel-good” chemicals, which improve your mood and helps you to relax. It also helps give you more energy and boosts your self-esteem.

There’s now a wealth of scientific evidence to show that regular exercise can help improve your mental health. The World Health Organisation has highlighted how physical activity is one of the critical factors in reducing the risk of depression.

The benefits of exercise for mental health are huge, but certain types of exercise are particularly beneficial for helping relieve stress and anxiety. These include cardio workouts (such as running or cycling), weight training (which improves strength and muscle tone), yoga, and pilates (which both focus on breathing exercises).

Here’s a look at how fitness helps with mental health:

• Depression and anxiety

Exercise can be effective for treating both depression and anxiety disorders. In one study, people who were depressed were asked to do aerobic exercise for 30 minutes three times a week for six weeks. After the program ended, they remained active for an additional six months but only did three days of exercise per week (one session of 30 minutes). The results showed that people who exercised had significantly lower levels of depression after three months than those who did not exercise.

• Exercise can be very effective at reducing stress.

When you exercise, your body releases endorphins — hormones that make you feel good. These chemicals also help combat depression and ease anxiety.

• A healthy body is a healthy mind.

Fitness is a great way to help relieve stress, clear your head and feel better overall. It can also help improve mental health by reducing the risk of depression and anxiety, improving memory and cognition, and even helping with sleep.

• Fitness improves sleep quality.

Sleep is essential for good mental health, and fitness can help improve sleep quality by reducing stress levels throughout the day. A good night’s sleep will leave you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated in the morning. When we exercise regularly, our bodies produce more melatonin (a chemical that helps us fall asleep).

• Exercise improves self-esteem

Regular physical activity can increase confidence and reduce stress by decreasing negative thoughts about yourself. Research shows that people who exercise regularly have a better body image than those who don’t exercise — even if they aren’t losing weight or toning up! And while there’s no magic formula for developing perfect self-esteem (it’s a lifelong process), regular physical activity is one way to help build it!

• It improves memory function and focuses.

Exercise boosts blood flow to the brain, which helps improve memory and concentration. It also releases endorphins, natural chemicals in our bodies that promote happiness.

• Exercising can also help reduce the risk of developing eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa, by promoting a healthy body image and giving people something to focus on other than their weight or shape.