There’s no denying the fact that exercise is essential for our physical health and mental well-being. Being physically active is crucial for everyone, be it for kids, adults, or elderly individuals. It is a lifesaver that promotes mental health and well-being. Thus, we can say that exercise and mental health are co-related.
One should not find a specific reason to exercise, it can be done for various purposes, such as recreation, enjoyment, or fitness. It is certainly a lifestyle change that can seriously impact your health and make you physically fit. Let’s talk about exercise and mental health in detail!
Physical Activity and Its Importance
In general, physical activity is any kind of movement your body makes that involves muscles while expanding energy. One of the notable things is that physical activity can be done in endless ways and there will be an activity that suits almost every individual. It is always advisable to spend 75-150 minutes on any physical activity, it can be anything, ranging from walking, running, aerobics, cycling, swimming, performing yoga, meditation, to working out in the gym. These can be the activities that boost your heart rate, make you breathe faster and warmer.
Types of Physical Activities for Mental Health Benefits
We can categorize physical activities into four parallels, as exercise and mental well-being goes hand in hand. These can be:
Regular Physical Activity– Any recreational or leisure-time activity, walking or cycling, workplace activities, household chores, games, sports, or even planned workouts in the context of daily life can be incorporated in the regular physical activities. These can be counted on for mental health and fitness.
Exercise- This aspect includes some of the purposeful activities that can be performed to improve health and mental well-being. These activities can be cycling, jogging, or lifting weights to improve strength.
Playing- As we know, physical movement is not only essential for adults, but also crucial at every level, be it a child. Playful activities are a type of physical activity that can be done for fun or enjoyment, and mental well-being. Playing can be considered good for both mental health and fitness.
Sport- The fun, structured, and competitive activities that incorporate sports like football or squash to cricket. These are the types of physical activities that can be played as a part of a team. These physical activities can vary in intensity and involve high-intensity activities, thus perfectly summing up as exercises.
How much Physical Activity is Recommended?
As we have talked about physical activity, let us tell you how much it is recommended. There is no particular answer to that! Every individual has their recommendation, as per their body.
There are various studies that suggest that adults should incorporate at least 150 minutes (about 2 and a half hours) of moderate- to intense aerobic physical activity every week. The activities do not have to be non-stop, such as an aerobics class. You can start from 10 minutes or more at a time throughout the day to reach your regular goals.
Whatever physical activities you pursue in a day, the goal should be to stay active every day, it can exceptionally impact on your mental health and mental well-being. Let us provide you with some tips!
- Always make time for a little walking during your workday. Walking keeps your mind at peace, thus boosting your mental health and fitness. Even if you are busy at work, take a 5-minute walk whenever you can, you can try having walking meetings! You will feel a lot better when you sit down again.
- Try and take stairs and not elevators whenever possible.
- Take some breaks during the day to stretch and move, even if just for a few minutes at a time.
Connection between Physical Health and Mental Health
Humans feel better after doing any exercise or physical activity. It can boost our mood, focus, and make us aware. Further, exercise is essential as it helps us to maintain a positive outlook on our life.
There are many people who think that the link between exercise and mental health is complicated. Let us tell you that the connection between physical health and mental health cannot be overlooked, in fact, inactiveness can be a cause of mental illness. Nonetheless, there are various ways in which exercise can benefit our mental health, such as:
- When we exercise, the levels of chemicals in our brain change, such as it improves serotonin (natural mood lifter) and endorphins (the happy hormone) in our body.
- Regular exercise can also help us to make our sleep schedule better, which ultimately helps us lift our mood. There is an exceptional Importance of Sleep in your Muscle Recovery, you should check it out.
- Physical activity can further improve our sense of control, coping aptitudes, and our self-esteem. People who exercise regularly often report how good achieving a goal makes them feel. Those who exercise on a regular interval report how good they feel after achieving their goals.
- Moreover, exercise can also distract us from having negative thoughts.
- Not only this, exercise at gyms and fitness centers offers an opportunity to socialize with others.
- As per studies, physical activities can also be an outlet for your frustrations, thus, working positively on your mental well-being.
- Exercise can further decrease skeletal muscle tension, which helps us feel more relaxed.
To make more room, physical activity improves our cardiovascular health and physical health. This is said to be very important as people with mental health issues are at a higher risk of getting diagnosed with chronic physical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis and asthma.
Get Started with Physical Activity and Make a Routine
Starting and making an exercise routine or we can say continue for your regular physical activity can be a challenge. As a well-reputed and established fitness brand, let us mention some of the steps that can help:
• Find what you enjoy the most- First, you must figure out what type of physical activities or exercise you enjoy the most: Zumba, strength training, running or any other aerobics. This step will help you get the momentum. Doing what you like can help you stick with it.
• Set reasonable and achievable goals- Think realistically about your goals, you will be able to achieve those. One should start slowly and build up over time. Make your plan according to your requirements and abilities rather than setting goals that you’re not likely to fulfil.
• Get your healthcare support- It is important to acknowledge your healthcare needs. In between your physical activity, you should talk to your healthcare expert or mental health professional for appropriate advice and support. Talk about your goals, exercise program or your workplace routine.
• Prepare for setbacks and obstacles- Everyone experiences setbacks while doing anything, be it exercise. One should prepare themselves for any challenge and change them into possibilities. If there’s a day when you are not feeling concentrated, you must try again the next day. Make sure to stick with your plans.
Along with exercise, Yoga is said to be a great way to boost your health and mental well-being. If you are looking to experience the magic of Yoga, one can refer the Yoga for Better & Healthy Living.