Why exercising is good

In addition to relieving depression symptoms , research also shows that maintaining an exercise schedule can prevent you from relapsing. Exercise is a powerful depression fighter for several reasons. Most importantly, it promotes all kinds of changes in the brain, including neural growth, reduced inflammation, and new activity patterns that promote feelings of calm and well-being. It also releases endorphins, powerful chemicals in your brain that energize your spirits and make you feel good.

Finally, exercise can also serve as a distraction, allowing you to find some quiet time to break out of the cycle of negative thoughts that feed depression. Exercise is a natural and effective anti-anxiety treatment. It relieves tension and stress, boosts physical and mental energy, and enhances well-being through the release of endorphins. Try to notice the sensation of your feet hitting the ground, for example, or the rhythm of your breathing, or the feeling of the wind on your skin.

Your muscles may be tense, especially in your face, neck, and shoulders, leaving you with back or neck pain, or painful headaches. You may feel a tightness in your chest, a pounding pulse, or muscle cramps. You may also experience problems such as insomnia, heartburn, stomachache, diarrhea, or frequent urination. The worry and discomfort of all these physical symptoms can in turn lead to even more stress, creating a vicious cycle between your mind and body.

Exercising is an effective way to break this cycle. As well as releasing endorphins in the brain, physical activity helps to relax the muscles and relieve tension in the body. Since the body and mind are so closely linked, when your body feels better so, too, will your mind.

Exercising regularly is one of the easiest and most effective ways to reduce the symptoms of ADHD and improve concentration, motivation, memory, and mood. Instead of allowing your mind to wander, pay close attention to the physical sensations in your joints and muscles, even your insides as your body moves. Exercises that involve cross movement and that engage both arms and legs—such as walking especially in sand , running, swimming, weight training, or dancing—are some of your best choices.

Outdoor activities like hiking, sailing, mountain biking, rock climbing, whitewater rafting, and skiing downhill and cross-country have also been shown to reduce the symptoms of PTSD.

Sharper memory and thinking. The same endorphins that make you feel better also help you concentrate and feel mentally sharp for tasks at hand. Exercise also stimulates the growth of new brain cells and helps prevent age-related decline. Higher self-esteem. Regular activity is an investment in your mind, body, and soul. When it becomes habit, it can foster your sense of self-worth and make you feel strong and powerful. Better sleep. Even short bursts of exercise in the morning or afternoon can help regulate your sleep patterns.

If you prefer to exercise at night, relaxing exercises such as yoga or gentle stretching can help promote sleep. More energy. Increasing your heart rate several times a week will give you more get-up-and-go. Start off with just a few minutes of exercise per day, and increase your workout as you feel more energized. Strength training can include use of weight machines, your own body weight, heavy bags, resistance tubing or resistance paddles in the water, or activities such as rock climbing.

If you want to lose weight, meet specific fitness goals or get even more benefits, you may need to ramp up your moderate aerobic activity even more. Remember to check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program, especially if you have any concerns about your fitness, haven't exercised for a long time, have chronic health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes or arthritis. There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Sign up for free, and stay up-to-date on research advancements, health tips and current health topics, like COVID, plus expert advice on managing your health.

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This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. See more conditions. Healthy Lifestyle Fitness. Products and services. Exercise: 7 benefits of regular physical activity You know exercise is good for you, but do you know how good? By Mayo Clinic Staff. Thank you for Subscribing Our Housecall e-newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the latest health information.

Please try again. Something went wrong on our side, please try again. Show references AskMayoExpert. Physical activity adult. Mayo Clinic; Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Department of Health and Human Services. Accessed June 25, Thanks for visiting. Don't miss your FREE gift. Sign up to get tips for living a healthy lifestyle, with ways to fight inflammation and improve cognitive health , plus the latest advances in preventative medicine, diet and exercise , pain relief, blood pressure and cholesterol management, and more.

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Evoking calm: Practicing mindfulness in daily life helps. Finding balance: 3 simple exercises to steady your steps. Cancer This just in: Exercise is good for you. Follow me on Twitter RobShmerling The evidence continues to mount — physical activity can help you live longer. Of course, that raises some fundamental questions: Are certain activities better than others?

How much does the intensity of the activity matter? Exercise has been proven to boost sex drive 49 , 50 , Engaging in regular exercise can strengthen the heart, improve blood circulation, tone muscles, and enhance flexibility, all of which can improve your sex life Physical activity can also improve sexual performance and sexual pleasure while increasing the frequency of sexual activity 50 , Interestingly enough, one study showed that regular exercise was associated with increased sexual function and desire in postmenopausal women A review of 10 studies also found that exercising for at least minutes per week over a 6-month period could help significantly improve erectile function in men Another study demonstrated that women with polycystic ovary syndrome, which can reduce sex drive, increased their sex drive with regular resistance training for 16 weeks Exercise can help improve sexual desire, function, and performance in men and women.

It can also help decrease the risk of erectile dysfunction in men. Exercise offers incredible benefits that can improve nearly every aspect of your health from the inside out. Regular physical activity can increase the production of hormones that make you feel happier and help you sleep better. Whether you practice a specific sport or follow the guideline of minutes of activity per week, you will inevitably improve your health in many ways People tend to make many mistakes when they try to lose weight.

Here are 15 common weight loss mistakes to avoid. Exercise is good for you, but getting started can be tough. This article explains how to start working out and stick to it in the long run. Learn about the best pre-workout nutrition strategies. Eating the right foods before a workout can maximize performance and speed up recovery. Eating the right foods after workouts is important for muscle gain, recovery, and performance. Here is a guide to optimal post-workout nutrition.

Cardio and weight lifting are the two most popular types of exercise, but many wonder which is better for weight loss. This article tells you all you…. High-intensity interval training HIIT involves short bursts of intense exercise alternated with recovery periods. Here are 7 health benefits of HIIT. Exercise burns calories, but many people claim it doesn't help you lose weight.

This article explores whether exercise really helps with weight loss. Lifting weights is about more than burning calories. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect.