You know that exercise is good for your physical health, but remember that daily movement is also a powerful tool for protecting your mental health and wellbeing too.
Regular physical activity can help reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress, while also boosting our overall mood and well-being.
Here we explore the connection between physical activity and mental health, and share 5 helpful tips to help you stay on track with your daily exercise routine.
The Connection between Exercise and Mental Health
When you exercise, your body release endorphins and other feel-good chemicals which can help to ease stress, anxiety and activate feelings of happiness and well-being.
Exercise is also known to boost self-esteem, self-confidence and even improve sleep patterns, all of which is vital for ongoing good quality mental health.
Tips for Incorporating Consistent Exercise into Your Daily Routine
When it comes to exercise, consistency is more important than 'the type' of activity or 'the duration' of each session. In other words, a little each day goes along way in terms of the impact of your overall long term physical, mental and emotional health.
Some tips that can help you to stay consistent include:
- Make it Social: Having a exercise partner or being part of a workout group or community can help keep you motivated and accountable, whilst also providing a social aspect to your physical activity;
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Try a New Type of Exercise: If you're feeling bored with your current exercise routine, don't be afraid to try something new or mix things up a little to keep your exercise routine interesting and fun. There are so many wonderful options to choose from, including walking, hiking, cycling, swimming, yoga, pilates, circuit training, weight training and more!
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Take Baby Steps: If you struggle to stay consistent with exercise or you haven't done much in a while, just takes things in baby steps. Start with small, achievable goals, such as walking for 10 minutes a day - do that consistently for 1-2 weeks, then you'll find it will quickly become habit and you may even feel life gradually increasing your duration of exercise over time.
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Make it Fun: Exercise doesn't always have to be a chore! Find ways to make it enjoyable, such as listening to upbeat music or a motivational podcast while you exercise. Or join a fun fitness class, hiking group or go cycling with friends!
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Be Consistent: Consistency is so important that it bares mentioning again here. Regular physical activity is absolutely key to reaping the mental health benefits of exercise. Find a time that works for you and make it a priority in your daily routine. We always recommend first thing in the morning because there are less distractions during this time and it allows you to get your daily exercise out of the way rather than risk being distracted and not fitting it in later in the day.
The Main Take Away
Exercise is a powerful tool for maintaining good mental health for a life time because it releases happy endorphins and boost overall self-worth, self-love and self-confidence.
Find an exercise that works for you that you can easily perform everyday without excuses and stay consistent with it to reap the long term benefits.
And finally, if you struggle to stay self motivated, find a group or exercise buddy to help keep you accountable and remember to keep it fun!
Tolman Self Care.
