Mental health can be a sensitive topic but I genuinely believe it’s one of the most important. You hear it all the time that health is our most prized possession but sometimes we can get so caught up in life’s chaos that we tend to neglect it. Our mind is an incredible machine and it’s so important to nurture it properly for us to operate at our best. I strongly believe that by incorporating exercise into your daily routine you are making a commitment to take better care of yourself in more ways than one.
Have you ever experienced brain fog when your thoughts feel clouded or rapid and you can’t seem to make sense of them? Exercise can help harness those fuzzy thoughts and make you think more clearly by increasing blood flow to the brain! Plus it enhances memory by strengthening the neural connections in the brain making the retrieval of information easier.
Exercise provides a safe space to release the negative emotions and pressures that you may have endured throughout the day. Throughout a workout session you will encounter a range of emotions –frustration, stress, joy – and you will indirectly learn how to deal with them. Physical activity stimulates the release of endorphins and serotonin to improve your mood, plus it provides a brief distraction to snap you out of your thoughts and focus on the task at hand. The sense of accomplishment that comes when you’ve just persevered through a tough session is like no other. Working towards a goal gives a sense of purpose and can really boost your self-esteem.
Whether you are training alone or with a workout buddy, exercise provides an opportunity to interact with other like minded people that motivate you to do your best. Sometimes just seeing a friendly and familiar face can put the perk back into your step.
And finally, let’s talk about how exercise promotes sleep which in turn improves our mental health. Sleep allows our body to repair itself and our brain to process and consolidate information. It contributes massively to our mood and there is a strong correlation between quality sleep and lower incidence of depression and anxiety. Okay so you’re desperate for sleep but you’re struggling to shut your mind off and it doesn’t matter how many sheep you count you just can’t seem to drift off? I have been there too. By including exercise into your daily routine you will find that you fall asleep quicker and that your sleep quality is deeper, so you feel more refreshed the following morning. It doesn’t need to be anything extreme, 30 minutes of moderate exercise is perfect!
Please remember that your wealth is not determined by you family, deadlines or meetings. Your mental health is more important than all these things because if you’re not in control of your mind than how do you expect to fully show up to your responsibilities? Remember that our mind and body directly impact one another and exercise is small adjustment that you can integrate into your lifestyle to improve both. It doesn’t have to be a 2 hour super intense workout just get your body moving in whatever way you enjoy!
Happy Training!
Alisha
