How to Use Exercise to Boost Your Mental Health

Photo by Riccardo 

Exercise offers a great way to improve your mental health. Your mental health is something that must be a priority and you should always try to ensure that you are improving it.

If you’re still on the fence about starting an exercise program, taking a look at the benefits can help to erase your procrastination.

Improved Sleep

One reason exercise can help is by assisting you to get a better night’s sleep. It can also help to regulate your cardiac rhythm.

Exercise acts as a biological alarm clock that will help control when you wake up and also help to make you feel more alert throughout the day. However, although exercise can improve your sleep, it is not recommended that you exercise too close to your bedtime, as it may have the opposite effect.

Boost Your Self-esteem

As you begin to exercise you will start seeing changes in your body. Your muscles will become more toned. Your endurance will increase and you will start piling on a lot of physical achievements.

This will significantly increase your self-confidence. As you continue along your fitness path you will begin to notice that there is a tremendous improvement in your mind.

Better Personal Relationships

When you are feeling confident about yourself, you are likely to spread this confidence to others. You will find that exercise improves your mood and self-confidence so much that you want to be around your family and friends more.

It may even give a boost to your intimate relationship as well. Exercise has been shown to boost libido. If you are having this issue, sex therapists are qualified counsellors that can help. 

Reduction In Stress

With frequent exercise, you will see a stress reduction. When stress is reduced good mental health will naturally follow. 

It’s not hard to see how exercise plays a role in reducing stress. Since you will be getting better sleep, increased self-confidence, and better interpersonal relationships you will naturally see a reduction in your stress levels.

Mood-Boosting

When you exercise, chemical substances such as endorphins are released by your brain. These are called feel-good or happy hormones and you will notice them as soon as you start exercising.

Releasing these hormones continuously through exercise will help you to feel a lot better about yourself. This will boost your mental health.

Start Your Fitness Journey

Starting your fitness journey is something that you will never regret. There are so many benefits to your physical and mental health that it is impossible to ignore them.

Before you begin any kind of exercise program, always make sure that you consult your doctor. It’s always best to start slowly and then do more intense exercises as your body gets used to the continuous activity.