Move your body, it is good for your mental health.
Exercising is good for your health.
Yeah... what’s new?
We have been hearing, reading, and seeing this for decades now: you should exercise; it is good for your body. But honestly, in a world where being “fit” is still the predominant storytelling, aren’t we tired of seeing all these people working out, showing off their abs or their “bubble but” or promising things like “lose your extra weight in just 10 days!”?
Funny enough, I actually enjoy working out. What I don’t enjoy is feeling pressured into doing it because I “should” look a certain way to feel attractive.
Okay, enough rambling. Because the pressure of being thin in our society is an entirely other subject. This article here is not about making you feel like your body is not the right shape or your weight is not the right number. NEVER.
What I am going to talk about, though, are the numerous benefits working out has on your MENTAL HEALTH. Yes, you read me correctly, I did say your mental health. Let me tell you how and why I am talking about this today.
“Since 2013 millennials have seen a 47% increase in major-depression diagnoses. (…) The most prominent symptom of major depression is a ‘severe and persistent low mood, profound sadness, or a sense of despair,’ according to the Harvard Medical School.”
( Read their full article here )
I have been suffering from anxiety and depression for years now. That diagnosis came with medication: I have been put under Xanax, Prozac and Sertraline at different times over the past few years. What do they all have in common? They are addictive, and when you stop them, they come with their friend “withdrawal”. These medications were meant to ease my anxiety and re-balance the chemicals in my brain. Still, even though I understand why the doctors prescribed them, now that I am NOT TAKING ANY of them anymore, I regret even starting them.
Quick biology lesson in case you are not aware of this. There are four primary chemicals we need in our system to “feel happy”: serotonin, oxytocin, dopamine, and endorphins. And there are NATURAL WAYS to boost each of these.
Of course, each person is different, and I do not say that no one should ever take medication to help their mental health. My point is that sometimes it is also good to not rely only on medication to help yourself.
So today, I will focus on the benefits of regular exercise for your mental health.
According to the NHS, “To stay healthy, adults should do 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every week.” This is for your body to stay healthy. Did you know that your body produces dopamine and endorphins when you work out? Yes, two of the four “happiness chemicals” are naturally produced by your body when you exercise.
“From easing symptoms of depression and anxiety to keeping your memory sharp, there’s no shortage of mental benefits of exercise.” (Read their full article here)
“Exercise improves mental health by reducing anxiety, depression, and negative mood and by improving self-esteem and cognitive function. Exercise has also been found to alleviate symptoms such as low self-esteem and social withdrawal.” (Read their full article here)
I know the prospect of “having to work out” is sometimes more than our brains can handle, especially when we suffer from depression. So here is my advice to you (advice I follow myself): start with just 10 minutes a day of moving your body. I am not talking about working out here. I truly just mean MOVING YOUR BODY. And you may choose to do so in any way you want! Here is a list of things I enjoy doing that might inspire you:
- Dance parties: I enjoy having little dance parties in the morning (or any other time during the day if I feel my mood is going low). To raise my mood and get my energy flowing, I put on my favourite playlist and shake my booty! I crank up the volume in my headphones so loud I cannot hear myself thinking anymore, and I dance, jump, and shake it all from my system for 10 minutes. It can take 1 or 2 minutes for me to really “get in the groove”, but I ALWAYS feel much better afterwards. I have created a special playlist for this on Spotify; here is the link if you want to give it a try:
- Yoga: There are so many free online yoga classes right now. It might not get your heart rate up, but it will definitely help your energy flow more efficiently in your body, and a good stretch is always welcome, especially if you work in front of a computer all day long. Here is a link to my favourite under 10 minutes yoga session:
- Walking workouts: yes, this one is called a workout, but I swear it is apartment friendly and super fun! I especially like the ones with music from the 90s (Backstreet Boys forever, haha) and the Disney themes; there is something so uplifting to working out on Hakuna Matata. Here is also a link to these enjoyable, very easy workouts:
- Mobility workouts: yes, this one is also a workout, and it will feel more like one than all the other options I gave you. Mobility workouts are beneficial to your body, especially in the morning. They have helped me with some chronic pains, which is a nice bonus. You can try this one here if you want to give it a go:
These are all options I enjoy, and I try to do at least one of them daily. I have routines in place to take care of my mental health, and I now add longer workouts in my week, but I also know that some days I just do not have the strength to do anything. It is during these days that I found the short options the best. If I am lying on my bed feeling quite unable to move, I count from 5 to 0, and when 0 is reached, I get up and pick whatever option is the best for me that day. 9 times out of 10, I don’t feel the need to go back to bed afterwards and actually manage to get a few things done during my day.
“A study asked people to rate their mood immediately after periods of physical activity, and periods of inactivity. Researchers found that the participants felt more content, more awake and calmer after being physically active compared to after periods of inactivity.” (Read their full article here)
What I want to add to that is: make it fun! I firmly believe that fun is the key when trying new things and ways of taking care of ourselves, especially with workouts. MAKE THEM FUN! It is not true that exercise must be painful to work wonders, and you are much more likely to stick with it if you enjoy it! And hey, guess what? Having fun will also release some of those nice happiness chemicals in your brain.
So go for it! Have fun moving your body 10 minutes daily, preferably in the morning, to give yourself a nice energy boost; pick whatever will motivate you the most and your mental health will thank you. HAVE SOME FUN, MY DEAR!
And remember, be kind to others but also to yourself.
