The Link Between Fitness and Mental Health

Fitness and Mental Health

Warning: Exercise has been known to cause health and happiness.

A regular exercise routine doesn't just build strong muscles and bones and a healthy heart. The link between physical activity and positive mental health has been well documented for decades, and as a society living through a pandemic, self care and vigilant attention to our mental health has never been more important than it is now.

Mental Health Benefits of Exercise

A significant network of correlations exists surrounding exercise and positive mental health, including physiological, psychological, and even social benefits. The longer you stick with a regular schedule and the more often you exercise, the more benefits you'll see.

Physiological Benefits

You may have heard that physical activity encourages your body and brain to produce some really awesome feel-good chemicals including dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins. These chemicals increase your mood and help you feel more pleasure, while also reducing the amount of cortisol (the "stress hormone") in your body. Exercise also increases blood flow to the brain, which results in better cognitive function, helping with concentration and attention and preventing memory loss.

Social Benefits

It's not a surprise that people who exercise regularly often form meaningful relationships with those in their fitness community. Studies show that these positive interactions result in lower rates of anxiety and depression, and higher self-esteem.

Psychological Benefits

Regular physical exercise increases feelings of self-esteem and confidence, resulting in how much you believe in yourself to accomplish your goals. I've been talking a lot about goal setting lately on my Facebook and Instagram channels - studies show that working toward and achieving your goals can enhance mental health and life satisfaction.

The Bottom Line

Many things feel beyond our control right now, but we do have the ability to make the choice and build physical activity and exercise into our daily routine. The bottom line is that when you take care of your body, you take care of your mind, and vice versa. You will feel better all around: you will sleep better, you'll be less stressed, you'll be happier, you'll live longer! 

If you're not sure where to start, let's chat! Check out my workout plans or say hi on Instagram! I'd love to connect with you over there!

xo

Lindsay