Living in a fast-paced world can make it difficult to keep up with our mental health. As our entertainment, jobs, and relationships start to become more concentrated within our mobile devices, there’s less and less reason for
us to get up and get the energy boost that we need. This is why all of us can benefit from good habits that both improve our mental and physical health.
Physical activities can result in a natural energy boost, more focus and motivation, and dispeling tension, stress, and mental fatigue. Exercise also helps our brain release the four ‘happiness chemicals’ — dopamine, endorphins, serotonin, and oxytocin — that help us regulate our moods, emotions, and important physiological functions.
In today’s world, consistency is more beneficial to overall health than intensity. So if you’re looking for the best exercises you can sustain for your mental health, here are some options that you can consider.
Boxing
Boxing is a great way to relieve stress, build your muscle and cardiovascular strength, and gain confidence.
Although you’ll have to find a boxing gym that you can visit regularly, taking up the habit can work wonders for your mental health.
Working on a punching bag allows you to increase the production of endorphins in your brain, granting you a feeling similar to a ‘runner’s high’, which is the calming effect you feel post-exercise. Boxing can also be largely empowering because you work on building your strength, improving your concentration and coordination, and boosting confidence with your body’s physical improvement.
Swimming
If you have access to a pool, then you should consider taking up swimming as a regular exercise. This is especially fitting for those who want a low-impact no-weight workout that can provide immediate calming effects.
The very act of being immersed in water can be calming and may soothe away feelings of depression and anxiety. This is because being in water physically limits you from being distracted by anything else, especially when you have to physically exert yourself to move against the water’s resistance. Similar to the calming effects of floatation therapy, removing external stimuli eliminates the body’s internal stress response, and takes you out of the ‘fight or flight’ state and towards ‘rest and recover’ instead.
Yoga
Yoga requires minimal equipment and can be done anywhere at your convenience. Even if you have a packed schedule, you can quickly sneak in a 30-minute yoga session before sleeping or before you shower in the
morning.
Some of the best reasons to start yoga include getting better sleep and increasing your spirituality. Yoga has been linked with better sleep efficiency and better total sleep quality after 8 weeks of practice. And because yoga incorporates meditation and breathing exercises — common methods of exercising mindfulness — it helps
contribute to better spiritual health and emotional wellness.
Nature walks
Walking might just be the least intimidating form of physical activity that you can sustain for a long period of time. It’s free, low-impact, and can easily clear your mind. Especially if you live in an area with rich natural landscapes,
going on a nature walk can easily be incorporated into your daily routine.
On a mental health level, studies have linked nature walks with reducing state anxiety, and can even be effective against generalised anxiety and depression in some cases. Moreover, the mechanical nature of walking can help
put you in a meditative state. Being in nature can help soothe your mind momentarily removing you from your daily situation of living in a fast-paced world of mobile devices and high connectivity.
Exercising yields immense benefits for your mind, and there are a variety of options for you to consider regardless of your location and availability. Especially in today’s world, finding the right exercise for you can be transformative to your lifestyle.
Post solely for the use of serotonindealer.com By Honey Quinn
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