Axomove wanted to talk to you about the importance of physical activity, not only for your physical health, but also for your mental health!
We know, for example, that physically active people are much less likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, or low self-esteem. [1-3]
🤷♀️ But how does it work? Discover the 5 reasons why exercise is important for your mental health.
✅ 1. When we exercise, our bodies release “happy hormones”
When you exercise, your brain creates tissues known to boost your well-being. Just going for a half-hour walk is enough to feel the effects.
✅ 2. Your mind becomes calmer
Exercise is the best way to take your mind off things. By focusing on something else, you clear your head. And you'll see things much more clearly afterwards.[4-6]
✅ 3. Physical activity has a positive effect on your sleep!
If your body gets enough exercise during the day and burns enough energy, you'll fall asleep more quickly at night. And there's nothing like a good night's sleep to get you off to a good start in the morning. [7,8]
✅ 4. If exercising alone bores you, then exercise with others
Exercising is always more fun with others. So why not invite your friends or family? Walking, cycling, or even team sports... there's plenty to choose from!
✅ 5. Physical activity gives you more energy
Feeling sluggish in the middle of the afternoon? You can regain a lot of energy by stretching your legs for about 20 minutes.
🤔 Ready to get started?
Bibliographies
[1] Siefken, Katja, et al. “How Does Sport Affect Mental Health? An Investigation into the Relationship of Leisure-Time Physical Activity with Depression and Anxiety.” Human Movement, vol. 20, no. 1, Mar. 2019, pp. 62–74, https://doi.org/10.5114/hm.2019.78539.
https://hummov.awf.wroc.pl/How-does-sport-affect-mental-health-An-investigation-into-the-relationship-of-leisure,94981,0,2.html
[2]Fox, Kenneth R. “The Influence of Physical Activity on Mental Well-Being.” Public Health Nutrition, vol. 2, no. 3a, Mar. 1999, pp. 411–18, https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980099000567.
[3]Mahindru, Aditya, et al. “Role of Physical Activity on Mental Health and Well-Being: A Review.” Cureus, vol. 15, no. 1, p. e33475, https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.33475. Accessed 6 Aug. 2024.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9902068/
[4] An, Hsin-Yu, et al. “The Relationships between Physical Activity and Life Satisfaction and Happiness among Young, Middle-Aged, and Older Adults.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 17, no. 13, July 2020, p. 4817,
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7369812/
[5] Zhang, Zhanjia, and Weiyun Chen. “A Systematic Review of the Relationship Between Physical Activity and Happiness.” Journal of Happiness Studies, vol. 20, no. 4, Apr. 2019, pp. 1305–22, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-018-9976-0.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10902-018-9976-0?platform=hootsuite
[6]Pengpid, Supa, and Karl Peltzer. “Sedentary Behaviour, Physical Activity and Life Satisfaction, Happiness and Perceived Health Status in University Students from 24 Countries.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 16, no. 12, June 2019, p. 2084, https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16122084.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6617209/
[7] Ghrouz, Amer K., et al. “Physical Activity and Sleep Quality in Relation to Mental Health among College Students.” Sleep and Breathing, vol. 23, no. 2, June 2019, pp. 627–34, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-019-01780-z.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11325-019-01780-z
[8] Dolezal, Brett A., et al. “Interrelationship between Sleep and Exercise: A Systematic Review.” Advances in Preventive Medicine, vol. 2017, 2017, p. 1364387, https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/1364387.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5385214/