Want to improve your mental health? Exercise. The most powerful, most accessible, and most affordable solutions to anxiety, depression, and all things negative mood. While many of us are aware of the importance of exercise for physical health-staying fit, reduce risk of diseases, weight control to mention a few. Do you know some amount of adrenaline pumps every day can be the answer to your mental and psychological well-being? The point is taking care of yourself can improve your mental health and one of the keys is exercise.

Also, exercise has been found to help boost self-esteem and cognitive function. A good way to alleviate symptoms of self-esteem and social withdrawal. Here, Joseph Minetto, a technology guru and fitness freak with great dedication to an active lifestyle explores more on the importance of exercise for mental health. It’s time to get your running shoes ready and get going for that morning jogging or the gym.

Mood booster

“If you are feeling low and demotivated, try going for a run,” Joseph Minetto says. “I  have found that outdoor exercise like running can help free the mind and within a few minutes of exercise, you will feel lifted, active, and calmer. There is a strong link between exercise and the mood, and you feel the effect of mood enhancement when you are involved in physical activity,’ he adds.

An all–natural treatment to fight depression

This benefit is not only to boost your mood for a while. Research has also found that exercise can be a great anti-depressant. “This is something that has been ignored over the years in the psychological world but now gaining attention after much research has demonstrated the value of exercise in reducing symptoms of depression,” Joseph says. Evidence has shown that people that are active and alert are happier than the inactive ones. The fact is when we exercise, the “feel good” endorphins and natural-cannabis like brain chemicals, endogenous cannabinoids are released which helps to produce the feelings of happiness, improve the mood and boost your overall well-being.  Moreover, exercise helps you to improve your social life especially when you exercise with a group or engage in team sports. You will get to connect with others, make new friends which helps to reduce the feelings of isolation and loneliness.

Tame the Flight, fight, and fright

When life sometimes takes its toll or you feel threatened by occurrences that tend to upset your life, your body tends to respond by creating a stress response which is also referred to as the “fight or flight” response. Then, you will be faced with uncomfortable situations when stressed such as fear, extreme anxiety, sleeping problems, lack of appetite, and many more. Joseph reasoned that regular exercise can help people that are stressed and prone to anxiety relieve stress and improve upsetting occasions. This is because exercise also imitates the effects of stress like the fight and flight response and produces the same physical reactions such as increase heart rate, or perspiration. Exercise can also counteract the anxiety, fear, and stress-induced hormones- cortisol and adrenaline which arise when in the bloodstream for prolonging times by using up the excess.

Increase confidence and self–esteem

Nothing beats well-toned muscles, weight loss, a shapely body, and improved physical appearance when it comes to exercise. All these feelings of satisfaction, accomplishment, and contentment about your body all contribute to boost confidence and increase self-esteem.

Rest well

Have you been deprived of your goodnight’s sleep due to stress and other mental issues? Exercise! Not only does exercise reduces stress as it tires you out, but it also raises the body temperature slightly which triggers tiredness and sleepiness. If you are having difficulty having a decent sleep, exercise, and watch yourself sleep like a baby.