Regular exercise such as walking, cycling, yoga and weights training is important to keep our body functioning at an optimal level. Living an active life helps to keep fresh blood circulating around our body and regulate the chemicals in our brain.
Okay, so we all know that exercise is good for us, but did you know that regular exercise can help to alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety?
Whilst it’s clear that exercise helps to improve your body’s physical functioning, it also has a number of other benefits. Research has shown that exercise releases chemicals in our brains such as serotonin and endorphins. These chemicals help us to feel good. Increased levels of serotonin has also been found to regulate libido, sleep, appetite and mood. Even if you aren’t experiencing any symptoms of depression or anxiety, regular exercise can help to improve your overall wellness. Studies have found that when you incorporate exercise into your daily routine it can improve your concentration and alertness as well as the functioning of your immune system.
I don’t think that there is any disputing the positive effect of exercise, but let’s face it … sometimes it is difficult to find motivation to get moving! It’s hard to get motivated on the best of days, and it’s even harder when we are feeling overwhelmed with hopelessness. Depression often makes us feel that nothing will help us – you are not alone in this! So here are a few hints to make regular exercise more manageable!
The benefits of exercise have been shown time and time again. Have you noticed changes in your mood when you exercise compared to times when you have struggled to get up from the couch? Why not conduct your own experiment on yourself and see if you see any results? There’s nothing to lose!