Today, with an astounding number of people living with mental health every day, it is impossible to ignore the importance of fitness and well-being. Everything fitness related starts with a healthy mindset (healthy body, healthy mind!). Whether it’s about reducing stress, enhancing your mind or to improve overall happiness, being active matters and there are many ways in which exercise can help balance all three aspects.
Regardless of age, exercise provides serious benefits not only physically but mentally and emotionally.
There are many ways in which you can increase your physical activity and here at The Circle we can help you improve your mind, body and nutrition with a few words of advice and encouragement to help you along the way:
Stress Alleviation
Stressful day at work? One of the biggest mental benefits from exercise is stress alleviation. Working up a sweat can help manage physical and mental stress. Exercising several times a week or more, your body will generally function better. You will feel good, and look good too!
Endorphins
Exercise releases endorphins (happy chemicals!) in your brain which create feelings of great happiness. Research shows that exercise can even diminish symptoms among the clinically depressed. Considering the immense impact that working out has on maintaining a healthy mind, it makes sense that someone who’s suffering from depression (or just feeling a little cloudy) should spend plenty of time working out.
Sleep & Exercise
Ever just hit the pillow after a long workout? For some a workout can be as powerful as a sleeping pill. Physical activity improves sleep quality and increases sleep duration, as it relaxes you and reduces stress.
Feel Good
Self-esteem and confidence are by far the most important factors in sustaining a healthy mind (and who can deny that looking good makes you feel great!) Physical fitness can boost positive self-image. Regardless of weight, gender or age, exercise can quickly alter a person’s perception of his or her self-worth.
Cognitive Health
An active mind has the great potential to even boost memory and prevent cognitive decline, something that is important as we all get older. Exercising between the ages of 25 and 45 helps boost the chemicals in the brain that support the degeneration of the hippocampus (an important part of the brain for memory).
Overcoming Addiction
When it comes to exercise and addiction, any kind of physical activity can be an integral part of your recovery journey. In addition to the chemical changes occurring in your brain whilst you exercise, working out can moderate the negative effects of recovering from addiction. Exercise can lead to a real sense of accomplishment; feeling tougher, healthier and overall increasing the motivation to stay clean and sober.
Working out can have positive effects far beyond the gym and why not inspire others while you’re doing it! – whether you come and meet a diverse range of people at a class here at The Circle or come and use our café and have a chat. We’ll be delighted to see you!
What inspires you to stay fit?