BOOST YOUR MOOD WITH EXERCISE
We all know that getting out and exercising can make us feel better, giving us that sense of achievement and making our mood improve. But what is the science behind the mood-boost? We chatted to Sport & Fitness Gym Instructor Peter Antonio, who is also a Sport Nutritionist, about the link between mental health and exercise.
It may come as no surprise that moving those different (but wonderful) shaped bodies of ours has many positive effects on our overall wellbeing.
Getting active, raising our heart rate, and putting some force through our muscles are all tried and tested methods of being a sure-fire way of releasing some good old endorphins. These hormones, aside from making us feel great, can aid in reducing pain, increase our self-esteem, reduce anxiety and depression, and enhance our immune system. Incidentally, eating chocolate is also a way to unlock the internal happy hormone safe!
We are not designed to be still for long periods of time. Our eyes are made to continually alter the distance of our focus. Blood can pool in our lower legs if we remain standing or sitting for too long. When we don’t move for long periods of time, we can feel even more tired than before we sat down. By not moving, we are telling our bodies that we’re ready for bed. The same is true for not blinking for long periods of time, when reading a book or looking at one of our many screens. This is why, when in situations of long periods of sitting (at work sitting down, travelling or commuting), getting up every now and then to move around and get your blood flowing can be extremely beneficial – reminding your body that it still needs to be active.
Exercise can also put us in the blissful state of flow. A flow state is where we are intensely focused on the task in hand, and therefore all other thoughts and emotions are not at the forefront of our minds. We can experience, if only for a moment, psychological freedom from all the to-do lists, internal chatter, or one of the many existential crises we may be going through in our lives.
If you’ve been inspired to get exercising but don’t know where to start, why not chat to our team, visit us or check out our videos on how to set and achieve your goals? Whatever your motivation, our experts are here to support you and help you feel more you this May, so get in touch today!
