Good health isn’t just about keeping physically fit. It also refers to mental health and creating a fit state of mind. Just like exercising the body is critical for physically fitness, similarly exercising the brain is important to take care of your mental health and it is this that plays a major role in your ability to participate in healthy behaviours.
There is a deep connection between the mind and the body so making sure our brains are under control allows us to make good life choices, handle life’s ups and downs, and stay motivated to achieve our goals. Practicing good mental and physical health habits, hand in hand, not only ensures you stay healthy and happy but also reduces the risk of developing illness and disease.
Our lifestyles and habits have a significant influence upon how our brain functions, so developing effective exercise habits and leading a healthy lifestyle has a significant influence upon how our brain functions and improving and enhancing our moods. When you work out and stay active on a regular basis, your stress and anxiety levels decrease and you feel generally happier. Not only can a tough workout help you sweat out any conflict, drama, worries or indecision in your life, regular exercise can also help you become less stressed in the long term. In addition, research has shown that exercise can be better at upping energy than any other means.
So by pushing yourself to get into workout mode, no matter the intensity or type, you’ll likely feel more energised afterwards and throughout the rest of the day. That’s because when you exercise, you experience a low-level form of stress by raising your heart rate and triggering a burst of hormonal changes.
Some useful ways to get started are to connect with others by joining team sports or partner style workouts, changing your routine or trying a new sport, combining relaxation techniques and stretching with high intensity training and engaging in friendly competition or self-mantras to keep you on track.
So next time you’re feeling tired, anxious, lacking motivation or are having trouble sleeping, try a workout…because no matter how counter-intuitive it may seem, exercise actually improves mood, increases energy levels and fights depression and fatigue.
