Mental Health and Exercise Why The Two Go Hand in Hand.

Lets talk about mental health. The biggest known taboo of our century which only in recent years started to become more talked about. Following on from mental awareness week on May 10th we thought it would be appropriate to emphasise the positive impact exercise has on your body. More importantly, the relationship that exercise has with improving our mental wellbeing. Did you know that physical activity has a huge potential to enhance our wellbeing? Believe it or not, exercise does more than just improve your physical health and physique. It is proven that ‘as little as a 10-minute brisk walk will increase our mental awareness, energy and mood.’ Imagine what exercising more than 10 minutes could do!

How Will Exercising Regularly Increase My Wellbeing?

Regular exercising will increase your overall wellbeing by individually increasing your; mood, self-esteem and battles with depression and anxiety. Whilst also decreasing your stress levels. This is because whilst exercising, your body naturally releases a chemical called endorphins. These endorphins then act as a barrier interacting with your brain receptors to replace the sensation of pain with positivity.

 If what you’ve just read wasn’t enough to make you grab your nearest gym clothes and spring out the door then check out these other benefits from exercising:

 -Improved Sleeping Habits

 -Increased Self-Esteem

 -More Energy Throughout The Day 

 -Stronger Resilience

 -Developed Memory and Thinking

Tricks To Get Exercising When Your Struggling With Mental Health Issues

1. Have Fun With It. 

This is ultimately the most important piece of advice if you're looking to incorporate exercise into your daily routine. You don’t want to be left feeling as though exercise is a chore. Therefore focus on activities which you enjoy. You could also consider exercising alongside friends or family doing activities such as walks or runs to make it more enjoyable.

2. Workout When It’s Right For You. 

Each individual will have a different period throughout the day where their energy levels are highest. For instance, some people find that they're most energetic in the morning before their working routine. Where others are in the evenings. Therefore you must factorise this in when choosing when to workout to make sure you finish what your doing motivated rather than demotivated. 

3. Build It Up. 

It’s also important that you ease exercise into your daily routine so you don’t overexert yourself. This is because overexerting yourself can negatively impact your mental health. 

4. Set Goals.

Setting a goal alone and completing it will instantly increase your overall mood. It doesn’t matter how big or small that goal is. The sensation of doing something is far more uplifting than the thought of doing something.