Ways that exercise can help with depression or anxiety are things like:
· Exercise Releases feel-good endorphins, “Endorphins are the body’s natural painkillers. Endorphins are released by the hypothalamus and pituitary gland in response to pain or stress, this group of peptide hormones both relieves pain and creates a general feeling of well-being.”- Harvard
· Exercise Takes your mind off worries which assist with the negative thoughts that fuel depression and anxiety. This can break the cycle that can put us into a whole or feeling stuck.
Regular exercise has many psychological and emotional benefits, too. It can help you:
· Exercise improves self-confidence. Meeting exercise goals or challenges, even small ones, can help with a sense of accomplishment, this increases self-confidence. Getting in shape can also make you feel better about your appearance which helps your daily interactions and mood.
· Exercise helps you get more social interaction. Exercise and physical activity can help with social interaction at the gym or on a walk in the neighborhood. A simple smile or greeting can help your mood especially in a positive environment. We are social human beings and there are nerve cells in the brain directly impacted by interaction which will assists our mental health and also our memory.
· Exercise is a healthy way to Cope. Depression or anxiety is best managed through positive coping skills. We know that coping with alcohol or drug use, dwelling on how you feel, or solely hoping depression or anxiety will go away on its own can lead to worsening symptoms. So, try to manage and react to these symptoms by moving your body! It Works!
*It also helps with sleep, physical pain, brain functioning and mobility.
I put this information here because I know I needed to recognize my "WHY" in order to get started. If you value or desire any of the things above this should assist your motivation to get started. I know it did for me. If your confused on how to get started it is this simple. Find a time that you sit on the couch or watch videos and replace a portion of it with walking the streets. Literally, just walk the streets or around the house for 20 minutes. If you do this for a while you will notice effects and you may want to increase your movement. This is when you reach out to someone with experience to help guide you! I know it worked for me and now I guide others. Feel free to send me an email, DM, or text!
