Why is exercise so good for your mental health?
If you’re not into exercising it can be hard to motivate yourself to do any, but here are five great reasons why even 10 minutes a day is good for you.
It won’t surprise you to know that taking regular exercise is crucial for physical health, but it can be just as important for looking after your mental health.
The NHS advises you get 150 minutes of exercise a week, but if you’re starting from 0, that can seem overwhelming. Even 10 minutes bursts a few times a week can be a great place to start. To keep you motivated, here are five great reasons why exercise benefits your wellbeing and mental health.
1. Exercise boosts your mood
When you work out, your brain releases serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline. These chemicals make you feel good and give your energy a boost. It’s one of the best known wellness benefits of exercising, and though the buzz may only last for a few hours it can be a big mood lifter.
2. The social side of sport
Connecting with your friends, family and wider community can have a huge positive impact on your mental health. Whatever your favourite sport is, there are plenty of ways to get social, whether that’s a running club, football team or yoga class. As well as the health benefits of keeping in touch with people, having a good support network means you have people to talk to should things get tough.
According to the NHS, there’s evidence to suggest that wellbeing can be passed on through relationships. This means spending time with people who have strong mental wellbeing can boost your own.
3. Workout… then sleep
Everyone feels tired after exercise, and timing that tiredness correctly can help you sleep better. If you struggle to get a good night’s sleep, try exercising in the early morning or afternoon. Exercise raises your body temperature, and working out early in the day allows it to drop and help lull you to sleep once nighttime comes around. However, working out too late at night can get your body temperature up, making it harder to sleep.
This temperature drop can be the nudge you need to get better sleep, and reduce your chances of insomnia. Learn more about how sleep affects mental health.
4. Get outside to exercise
Some people like the commitment that a gym membership ties you into, but if you're just getting into exercise, there are benefits to skipping the treadmill. Getting outdoors can do you as much good as the exercise itself. A study in 2010 found that getting out in the green, even for five minutes, can boost your mood and self-esteem.
If you can’t get to the countryside, even time in an urban park can have a positive effect. Sunlight is known to have a strong impact on mental health - though you might find its absence more noticeable. SAD, or Seasonal Affective Disorder, is a type of depression which prevails in winter. It’s thought to be caused by the lack of sunlight in shorter days, which stops the hypothalamus in the brain working properly. Getting plenty of sunlight, especially in the winter, is a great trick for looking after your wellbeing.
Even if you go to the gym, walking there and back via a park can boost your mood.
5. Stay fit for life
Taking regular exercise, as little as 30 minutes four times a week, can protect your brain against incurable diseases, including Alzheimer's. Your brain is a muscle and like any other muscle, it strengthens with use. Exercise is proven to stimulate the areas of the brain, the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, which are most susceptible to neurodegenerative diseases. Could there be a better reason to work out?
If you’re just getting into exercise, try to find something you know you’re going to enjoy. Start with 10 minutes of exercise several times a week and build it up. It’s better to do little and often, doing more as it gets easier, than to pick up something ambitious and abandon it.
If you need tips on getting your weekly dose of exercise, your local pharmacist can help.