The Top 10 Reasons Exercise Fights Depression and Anxiety
1. Boost Self-Esteem– The most important reason to exercise is self-efficacy. Feelings of burden and inadequacy are what bring me down the fastest, which inspires me to push forward and harder in each workout.
2. Exercise reduces stress– Each and every workout pushes me further than the one before. Resistance training reduces stress by boosting serotonin and lowers cortisol, the stress hormone. Working out with others will also lower stress by building a support system around you, eliminating the feelings of solitude.
3. Improves sleep– Throughout college, anxiety destroyed my sleep patterns. Tossing and turning until 2-3 am nightly affected performance in class and prevented me from reaching my goals in a timely manner. Since graduation in 2012, I added a melatonin supplement to my daily routine and increased the intensity of exercise which has made a huge difference in getting the quality of sleep.
4. Improves muscle tone and strength- Progress over time and reaching fitness goals drastically improves my confidence over time, eliminating the depressing and anxious thoughts speeding through my mind and heart.
5. Reduces body fat– A combination with diet and exercise, a positive body image can greatly improve feelings of self-efficacy.
6. Strengthens heart and lowers blood pressure- Having high blood pressure logically raises stress and anxiety, but because of exercise, I will prevent those feelings and a premature death from heart disease.
7. Increases energy level- Just as the downward spiral is continued without exercise, the opposite is true when I have a great routine and motivation to exercise. The more exercise in my life, the more energy I have to put into the success of my business and personal life.
8. Ward off anxiety and feelings of depression- I implement the higher intensity exercise into my fitness routine to take a break from the stress of life for an hour or so. I never used to practice self-care and take “me time” until this year, knowing that in order to achieve my business and personal goals I must feel deserving of that time set aside for me.
9. Builds stronger bones– Resistance training places stress on bones, bending them and strengthening them without breaking. Red blood cells are formed in the marrow of our bones increasing the importance of strong, healthy bones. After exercise becomes routine, the body functions better over time and hormones level out to improve mood.
10. Look better, feel better- Losing 15 pounds of unhealthy weight got others asking “How did you make a change?”. You better believe the difference that makes in my life and helped the self-esteem increase over time.
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