Exercise, Good for your body AND for your MOOD

Exercise, good for your body AND good for your MOOD

WE all know that exercise is good for our physical bodies. It makes us stronger, improves our endurance, gives us a better physique, trims the waistline and adds years to your life. But did you know that studies have shown that exercise has positive effects on your mood and mental health as well?

You have probably heard  that exercise causes your body to release endorphins. Or you have heard that runners get a "runners high" because of endorphins, Do you know what endorphins are? Endorphins are neurotransmitters that are powerful chemicals that are produced by your body that energize your spirits and make you feel good. There are several endorphins in your body but when speaking about exercise we are primarily referring to Dopamine. Dopamine is necessary for your feelings of pleasure and happiness. Exercise releases this HAPPY chemical leaving you feeling happier and calmer after a workout. 

Exercise is also responsible for some interesting effects in the brain, including neural growth, reduced inflammation, and new activity patterns that promote feelings of calm and well-being.

Exercise also helps to decrease your stress level. Exercise itself is a stress to the body. When you subject your body to a low level of stress from exercise on a regular basis it raises your heart rate and triggers a burst of hormonal changes. These changes include reducing the levels of cortisol and adrenaline , both of which can be high due to stress. When you lower these hormonal levels your heart rate and blood pressure go down, muscles relax, breathing slows and stress levels decrease.

Exercise can also energize you, boost your confidence and self esteem, ease anxiety, fight insomnia and give your mind something to distract your thoughts from worry. I challenge you this week to do your own research. For one week record your mood before your workout on a scale of 0-10. 0 being a really bad mood and 10 being very happy. After your workout each day re-evaluate your mood and see what that number is. I bet it is higher every single time!

Personal Experience

Those of you that know me have heard me at some point say "If I don't exercise each day I'm just not myself." I truly do notice a difference in my mood, as do my family members. This story shows the absolute truth of that statement. We were on vacation a few years ago with another family. My two kids and their friends wanted to come out with me during" my exercise time". They wanted to ride their bikes as I walked/ran. So off we went, they started messing around and annoying me. My son who was 9 at the time says to the kids "Hold it! Seriously guys if you want her to be right all day let her exercise. Once she's done she's all ours. She will take us anywhere, and let us do whatever we want. But if she doesn't workout I don't want to be around her, and take it from me , you won't want to either. " My 8 year old daughter promptly chimes in with "He's soooo right, let's head back and leave her alone, when she gets back she will be so happy."

So I have either just admitted to being seriously chemically imbalanced or my exercise routine provides me with an outlet for stress, something to focus on other than my problems and worries.  Whatever the reason behind it is I'm sure my family, friends, and patients don't care because for the rest of the day I have found my happy!

So I too will record my moods for a week and report back my happy meter next week!

Good luck and Good Mood!!