Why exercising improves your psychological well-being

Exercise not only keeps our organs healthy; it also has psychological benefits.

Recently, sedentary lifestyles have been proposed in public health as an important factor in the appearance of different chronic diseases, as well as in the increase of psychological discomfort. Consequently, some countries have promoted policies that reinforce lifestyles based on physical activity. In other words, daily exercise is one of the most recommended activities to maintain a healthy life.. It has great benefits, not only for physical health but also for psychological well-being. Which ones? In this article you will find some of them.

How physical exercise boosts psychological well-being

Here are the different ways in which exercise improves our mental well-being.

1. Experiencing a sense of accomplishment

Exercising is not usually an easy task. It involves a series of behaviors that we may not be used to. For example, maintaining a routine, waking up earlier or improving our diet. In addition, it provokes a series of bodily reactions that make the task even more uncomfortable: our Heart rates speed up, breathing becomes more difficult, sweating increases, muscles contract.

Completing an exercise routine, despite these experiences, is a factor of self-recognition. a factor of self-recognition that allows us to feel successful, and which influences the secretion and influences the secretion of dopamine, one of the neurotransmitters related to obtaining rewards. Achieving goals increases frustration tolerance and improves self-concept: feeling successful after achieving a goal also improves the value judgments we make about ourselves.

2. Improve self-image

Self-image is the set of characteristics that we attribute to our person, it is a comprehensive assessment of what we perceive about ourselves. One of the consequences of exercising constantly is to begin to notice physical changes that are generally positive, and that, in addition, are recognized by the people around us. As a result, the mental representation we have of ourselvesThe mental representation we have of ourselves, in relation to cultural standards of beauty and physical well-being, is positively modified: we see ourselves as stronger, more muscular or healthier, which tends to improve the value we attribute to ourselves. In addition, by feeling more satisfied with how we perceive ourselves, we also relate more confidently with others.

3. Improve mood and reduce stress levels.

Performing an exercise routine allows us to experience joy and euphoria, which makes us seek to continue or repeat the activity. This is related to the release of endorphins, which are neurotransmitters with analgesic effects that cause pleasurable sensations. This is also linked to the reduction of stress and anxiety levels..

When we exercise, neuromuscular tensions decrease, as well as some stress-related hormones, and the heart rate is normalized, which moderates anxiety. All this helps us to maintain a good mood and release tension, which also has positive consequences in our interpersonal relationships and even in stabilizing our sleep cycles.

4. Change habits

Habits are the behaviors that we perform so repeatedly that they become characteristic of our way of life. When we begin to exercise on a constant basis, we inevitably take care of other aspects related to a healthy lifestyle, such as food or maintaining a structure of the day. In other words, exercising and the associated feeling of success, predisposes us to pay more attention to what we eat, the times at which we get up and get out of bed.The time we wake up or go to sleep, the frequency with which we exercise, and can even motivate us to watch out for other types of generally harmful habits such as the constant consumption of tobacco or alcohol.

5. Optimize cognitive functions

Scientific research in the neuropsychological area has linked exercise with a significant improvement in cognitive processes. Above all, effects on aging have been documented, although not exclusively. One of the benefits recorded is the development of executive control skills such as planning, task scheduling, short-term memory and multitasking. Among other factors, this has been related to a significant improvement in neuronal plasticity (the anatomical adaptation of neurons to environmental changes and demands). There are also improvements in problem solving, motor stimulation and selective attention.

Given the recommendations and scientific evidence, it is important that everyone takes the initiative and dedicates space and time to exercise. Commonly it is recommended to do between 20 and 30 minutes per daycombining aerobic and muscular exercises. If you are not used to it, you can increase 5 minutes a day and perform routines two or three times a week.

In addition, you can perform activities that do not involve greater economic effort or travel, such as running or doing daily routines in your own home. You can even resort to new technologies and find different online options to exercise without having to leave your home.