It’s good for your mind as well as your body
When we feel low in mood it’s very easy to use our down-time to do nothing. Sometimes we comfort-eat to pass the time and usually that only makes us feel worse. We all know that exercise is good for us physically but that may not be a big enough incentive. It’s much more motivating to find out that 20-30 minutes exercise 3-4 times a week can make us feel happier. When we exercise, natural chemicals are released in the brain that calm us and raise spirits. These include
- endorphins – often described as the body’s natural anti-depressant
- serotonin which lifts mood
- dopamine which make us feel less stressed and sleep better.
Read more : Hacking Your Happy Chemicals: Dopamine, Serotonin, Endorphins & Oxytocin – Seratonin Endorphins & Exercise
Building up to a moderate regular exercise routine might make all the difference. Exercise doesn’t necessarily mean joining a gym, it could be walking, swimming, yoga, Pilates – choose what’s possible for you. Plan in some regular times for exercise and ring-fence them on your calendar.