This is an article about the positive effects exercise has on your mental health. For the past few months I’ve been going for walks and swimming regularly. For years, I never thought about exercising, but now that I’ve started my sense of accomplishment has risen sky high.
After a walk or a swimming session, I feel tired. But it’s not the same ‘tired’ that we all feel when we’ve been doing stuff all day but still haven’t got anything done. This is a kind of tired which I feel I have earned. It is a truly pleasurable feeling and I really missed it when I had to stop exercising temporarily because of seasonal illness. What a relief when I recovered and I could start exercising again! Already I feel calmer and less agitated, as well as more accomplished and generally happier with myself.
Of course there is a connection between our minds and bodies. Exercise is known to release chemicals such as endorphins and serotonin that improve your mood significantly. When Weiyun Chen, associate professor at the University of Michigan, reviewed the full range of research on exercise and happiness, he concluded that: “every one of the observational studies showed a beneficial relationship between being physically active and being happy.”
Even if you are happy and your mental health is in a great place, I’d still recommend exercise, not just for the physical benefits, but also why be as happy as you are now when you can be even happier?!
“Health” by Got Credit is licensed under CC BY
