While it’s true that exercise can improve anyone’s physical health and can even add years to their life, these are not the only reasons why most people exercise regularly. Many people tend to do so because it gives them a great sense of well-being. In particular, exercise helps them sleep better at night, feel more energized throughout the day, and feel more at peace and optimistic about their lives. Simply put, it’s an excellent medicine for people with mental health issues.
With that in mind, consider reading the essential points below to learn about the mental health benefits of exercise and the kinds of physical activities that can improve your mental health.
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Mental Health Benefits Of Exercise
Regular exercise can positively impact people suffering from mental health issues like ADHD, stress, anxiety, and depression. Regardless of age or fitness level, anyone can learn to properly exercise and use it as a powerful medicine that may help improve their energy, have a more positive outlook, and deal with declining mental health. It also promotes several changes in the brain, including reduced inflammation, neural growth, and activity patterns that boost feelings of calmness and personal well-being. Moreover, exercise helps stimulate the production of endorphins, which are powerful chemicals in the brain that positively impact a person’s mood.
Furthermore, it’s worth mentioning that there are exercises also suitable for people living with a disability. Moderate physical activities help persons with disabilities to have more energy, improve muscle strength, and increase their stamina. For instance, wheeling oneself or playing wheelchair basketball can significantly improve a person’s physical health. But apart from being able to enjoy the benefits that regular physical activity can provide for their body, it can also help improve their mental health. After all, warding off mental health problems is also crucial to a person with a disability’s overall health.
If you want to dig deeper into the mental health benefits of exercise, find out here in this well-written article. Moreover, below are the best physical activities you can do to improve your mental health:
Walking
Regardless of fitness level or age, anyone can get the physical and mental benefits of walking. Walking for at least half an hour a day is an excellent way to maintain or improve your overall health. It improves blood flow throughout your body, helping to improve your overall mood and increase your energy levels.
Apart from helping you feel energized, walking may also help improve your sleep patterns. It’s a good activity specifically for those people who have difficulty sleeping at night. Going for a walk can help reduce stress and deal with other mental health issues like insomnia, anxiety, and depression.
Yoga
The best way to learn yoga is by taking classes at yoga studios with the help of a qualified teacher. But you can also start by studying online and practicing at home using straps, blocks, and other objects to make yoga poses more comfortable. Due to the overall health benefits of yoga, it has become a well-regarded practice of psychotherapy.
Many studies suggest that yoga can positively impact people managing symptoms of anxiety, stress, and depression. Notably, it can help create mental calmness and clarity, sharpen concentration, increase body awareness, and reduce chronic stress patterns. Moreover, regular yoga practice may also help boost serotonin and lower respiratory rate, heart rate, and blood pressure.
Swimming
Swimming regularly for at least half an hour is a well-known activity for lowering anxiety and depression and improving a person’s sleep patterns. This aerobic activity is also an ideal exercise for people with physical disabilities because it helps them maintain a healthy weight and improve their motor skills and coordination.
While swimming can be a solitary form of physical activity, it can also be a team sport or hobby that one can do together with others. Thus, anyone with mental health problems and physical disabilities can use this exercise to socialize with like-minded individuals. Apart from staving off feelings of loneliness, social connections increase your sense of happiness and well-being, and these may also help sharpen your memory and cognitive skills.
Dancing
Dancing is also one of the best therapeutic exercises that can help improve mental health. Anyone with mental health problems and even with physical disabilities can use this activity to foster teamwork and communication. Since dancing encourages movement, doing this activity for at least half an hour can promote movements in several muscle groups and help burn calories.
This activity as therapy also allows the expression of feelings and emotions without verbalizing them. Moreover, people suffering from mental health issues and physical disabilities can use this therapeutic activity to help them relieve stress, sleep better, and have more energy throughout the day.
Conclusion
Overall, everyone can get the mental health benefits of exercise, even if a person has a physical disability. If you’ve never exercised before, it’s advisable to start with a ten-minute light activity. In addition, it’d be better to talk to your doctor first before beginning any exercise program.
