Most of us know how exercise can improve physical health, but you may not be as aware that it can improve your mood as well. The Journal of Psychology (Interdisciplinary and Applied) recently released an analysis of 38 different studies which showed a strong link between exercise and emotional well-being.
Physical activity and mental health
Part of the mental health benefit comes about because of improved physical health. It sounds odd to say that tiredness can be helped by exercising more, but if you’re getting stronger and sleeping better, you’ll be less tired. Weight loss and muscle gain can also improve self-esteem, and people who exercise get ill less often and live longer. This means you have less to worry about! Exercise can also be a good substitute for or a distraction from unhealthy coping methods like overeating or smoking. These aren’t the only plusses, though, as we’ll show here; exercise can have all the benefits of antidepressant pills.
An extended version of this article, along with lots of other (previously unpublished) effective and practical advice is now included in our book, Anxiety to Calm: a practical guide to a laid back life which is available in paperback and Kindle.
