The Top 6 Ways That Exercise Benefits Your Mental Health

The physical benefits of exercise are always pretty clear cut: building muscle tone and definition, healthy weight maintenance, and feeling stronger in your everyday activities. But we've also talked a lot about how a fitness routine is more than just a physical workout, it's a mental one, too. We know that sometimes it doesn't feel so good when you’re working out... BUT when you get in a rhythm and get a great workout in, those endorphin rushes can give you a much-needed pick-me-up. But can it make you more mentally fit in the long term? The answer is yes! Plus, it’s a way to get some much-needed ME time.

If you're struggling with your fitness motivation right now, or need some encouragement to keep pushing through, here are the top 6 ways exercise can actually boost your mental fitness.

1. Exercise is a natural mood-booster  

This one you probably know… Even when you might not feel like exercising, you usually feel good after you’ve done it. That’s because when you exercise, your body releases feel-good hormones & neurotransmitters which encourage a better mood. Here’s a quick breakdown of what they are and what they do:

1. Endorphins: These block pain and increase sensations of pleasure

2. Endocannabinoids: These neurotransmitters are thought to be responsible for that “runner’s high” — the feeling of calm euphoria that occurs after a strenuous workout

3. Dopamine: Research is limited on what types of exercise release dopamine, but it does play an important role in how pleasure is felt. It also regulates heart rate, sleep cycles, mood, attention, motivation, working memory, learning, and pain processing 

2. Exercise can help manage stress and anxiety 

There are many reasons that exercise can help manage stress and anxiety, but today we want to mention cortisol.

Alongside all those amazing feel-good hormones — endorphins, endocannabinoids, and dopamine — doing exercise also releases cortisol, a glucocorticoid hormone that your adrenal glands produce. Cortisol affects a few different things in your body, but it mainly helps regulate your body’s response to stress.

3. Exercise reduces the risk of depression

If you are feeling low or depressed, you may also be feeling a lack of energy and that can make exercise feel like the last thing on your mind. If you can find the energy, it’s worth it because research does show that regular exercise can actually boost your mood, and that’s thanks to all those feel-good hormones we keep mentioning.

It’s important to note that there’s no guaranteed way to stop postpartum depression, but studies suggest that doing regular physical activity can reduce the likelihood of experiencing a period of depression altogether and shows that physical activity both during pregnancy, and the initial postpartum period reduces the symptoms of postpartum depression.

4. Exercise encourages better sleep  

Sleep is as important to your mental and physical health as eating well or drinking water, and fatigue and poor sleep can underpin other mental health problems like anxiety and stress. Lack of sleep can also affect our concentration, relationships, and mood.

When you exercise, you exert energy, which promotes better sleep at the end of the day. Just remember that when you exercise you also release adrenaline into your body, so if you’re struggling to sleep then it’s best to avoid too much exercise in the evening.

5. Exercise is meditation in motion

We love to think of exercise and physical activity as “meditation in motion”, meaning that exercise often gives your mind something to focus on and can take away any intrusive or overwhelming thoughts. In other words, exercise can help clear your mind and reset.

If you really want to give this a go, try going for a run or walk with no music, no podcasts, and no distractions — take in the world around you instead.

6. Exercise encourages better self-esteem

To put it simply, when you have good self-esteem, you’ll feel more secure, confident, and positive. Studies show that being more active can improve self-confidence and therefore improve mental well-being overall.

Ready to get up and get moving? We have everything you need over in the Baby2Body app!

Let us know your favorite workout in the comments…

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