Exercise improves health and physical strength, but did you know it’s great for your mental strength, too? In fact, movement is linked to a host of mental health benefits. Here are five ways movement improves mental strength. 

1. Boost Your Mood

Exercise boosts your mood by causing your body to release endorphins, which are chemicals your body produces to relieve stress and pain. If you’re feeling down, just getting up and moving will help you feel better. For many people, exercise works as well as psychotherapy and medication to treat depression. 

And you don’t need to limit yourself to what you might typically think of as exercise. Meditative movements like tai chi and yoga have been found to reduce anxiety and even symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. These types of movements typically incorporate changes of posture, breathing, and rhythm, which signal to your brain that you are in a state of calm. 

2. Reduces Anxiety

It’s natural to feel worried or afraid from time to time, but if you have anxiety on a persistent basis, it can interfere with your daily life. Fortunately, movement is very effective at reducing anxiety. When we are fearful, our hearts beat faster and we breathe more heavily. The same thing happens when we exercise. And it turns out that regularly exercising makes your body less reactive to the fight-or-flight response that tends to be overactive in people suffering from anxiety.

Movement also helps us relax our muscles and let go of tension. Next time you’re feeling anxious or stressed, try taking a short walk, doing tai chi, dancing, or any other form of movement you enjoy!

3. Improves Self-Esteem

Sometimes, we have a critical voice in our heads, telling us we’re not good enough, or picking out our flaws. Movement is a wonderful way to silence that nagging voice and begin feeling better. 

Synchronized movements, like dancing, have been found to improve self-esteem, so group dance classes or even following an instructional video can be very helpful. Exercise may also help you feel better about the way you look, relieve pain as you lose weight, and give you a feeling of accomplishment. 

4. Increases Sleep Quality

If you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, exercise can help improve the quality of the sleep you’re getting. When you exercise, your body’s temperature increases, which leads to a sense of calm. It also helps modulate your body’s circadian rhythm, so you’ll be able to sleep more regularly. 

Additionally, just engaging in physical exertion can help you feel more tired in the evenings, so you’ll be able to fall asleep more quickly. Just remember not to exercise too close to bedtime, or you may end up feeling too energized to sleep! 

5. Protects Memory

No one wants to experience cognitive decline. Thankfully, movement can help us stay sharp as we age. Research has even shown that new brain cells can be created when you engage in cardiovascular exercise!

Additionally, since exercise boosts your mood and reduces stress, it also has an impact on your memory, which can be impaired by anxiety and depression. Furthermore, studies have shown that the areas of the brain that are responsible for memory are bigger in people who exercise than those who are sedentary. Pretty amazing, right?

Movement is just as beneficial for our minds as our bodies. So pick an activity you enjoy (or several!) and get moving! And remember, Normandy Living offers an array of activities geared towards our residents’ interests. We’d love for you to join us!