Exercise and Mental Health
Exercise can improve mental health in many ways, including:
- Mood: Exercise can increase the production of serotonin and endorphins, which can improve mood and reduce feelings of depression. Endorphins can also block pain and increase feelings of pleasure.
- Stress: Exercise can help reduce tension, stress, and mental fatigue. It can also help you learn to manage stress routinely.
- Sleep: Exercise can help you sleep better, which can help you manage your mood.
- Sense of purpose: Finding an activity you enjoy can give you a goal to aim for and a sense of purpose.
- Social interaction: Exercise can help increase social interaction, which can reduce feelings of isolation.
- Self-esteem: Exercise can boost self-esteem and concentration.
- Brain health: Exercise can improve brain health and cognitive function, including memory and learning.
- Anxiety: Exercise can reduce the risk of anxiety.
- PTSD and trauma: Focusing on your body and how it feels while exercising can help your nervous system move out of the immobilization stress response that characterizes PTSD or trauma.
There isn't one right way to exercise, so you can try different types of activities to find what you enjoy. DPAC has a number of classes you can try to help with any of the statements above.
Contact a DPAC trainer today so we can help you figure out what exercises are best for you.
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