Exercise is an activity which requires physical effort. It generally makes your muscles work in addition to requiring your body to burn calories. Exercise may also be carried out with an emphasis on sustaining or improving health and fitness. Alternatively, exercise may be used as a means of physical rehabilitation. You may even exercise without even knowing it. When you walk and household chores are classic examples.
There are lots of other types of exercise, such as running and hiking, to social activities such as dancing and golf, right through to organised team sports like netball and hockey. We all know that there are benefits to regular physical exercise – otherwise, we might just sit on the couch all the time!
The more commonly known benefits of exercise normally revolve around weight management as well as toning up. Along with what you eat, exercise is a vital component of increasing metabolism and losing weight. However, there are many more advantages to exercising than just helping us to slim down.
What Are The Mental Health Advantages Of Exercise?
Exercise is not merely about aerobic capacity as well as muscle size. Sure, exercise can:
- Improve your physical health as well as your physique,
- Trim your waistline, in addition to
- Even adding years to your life.
However, that’s not what motivates most people to stay active.
People who take part in exercise regularly tend to do so as it gives them an enormous sense of well-being. They have increased feelings of energy during the day, sleep better at night, have sharper memories as well as feel more relaxed and optimistic about themselves and their lives. And it’s also a potent medicine for many common mental health challenges.
Regular exercise can have a deeply positive impact on depression, anxiety in addition to ADHD. It also relieves stress, enhances memory, assists you with sleeping better, and boosts your overall mood.
The great news is that it’s not necessary for you to be a fitness fanatic in order to reap the benefits. Research indicates that modest amounts of exercise may make a real difference. No matter what your age or fitness level are, you can learn to utilise exercise as a formidable tool to deal with mental health problems, improve your energy and outlook as well as get more out of life.
Top 3 Exercises For Body And Mind
Here are our top three exercises to give you all the physical as well as mental benefits that regular physical exercise has to offer.
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Bushwalking
Body
Bushwalking firms as well as tones the major muscle groups in your thighs, calves and buttocks. The hills and uneven terrain add intensity which hastens kilojoule- and fat burning.
Mind
Spending time in bushlands and national parks – surrounded by trees, water, sunshine and bird life -can all have a calming effect so assisting with easing stress.
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Stand Up Paddling
Body
The paddling motion functions to strengthen the upper body muscles. This is especially good at targeting the core muscles.
Mind
The regular swapping of paddling sides diminishes the physical intensity. This makes it a more relaxing workout. If you are on a lake or the ocean, take in the scenery and feel your anxieties melt away.
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Swimming
Body
Swimming improves cardiovascular fitness as well as all-over muscle tone without an impact on the joints. Include fast laps and intervals in order to maximise fat burning.
Mind
The rhythmic movement, as well as focus on breathing, may be quite hypnotic so assisting to drown out stressful thoughts. Exercising in water could also trigger a unique feeling of refreshment and vitality after you’ve finished.
Contact Trifocus Fitness Academy
If you would like to learn further information about the benefits that yoga – which is a mind body exercise – has for you then you need to do our Yoga Certification Course. For more information, please follow this link.
