The colder, darker days of winter are often matched by our own moods and can be a hard thing to shake especially if it is already hard for you to get outside. Exercise and heath become a lot harder as well and this is not ideal as we know the benefits of exercise and a healthy lifestyle but lets look at how exercise can impact our mental health and make us feel better when times are dark.
Not only does exercise improve our cardiovascular health and overall physical health but it boosts our mood, concentration and alertness.
Studies show that exercise can be as effective as anti depressant medication for mild to moderate depression without the side effects! Who wouldn't rather get some exercise and lower your risk without any side effects? Exercising for high intensity training for 15mins or walking for an hour is enough to keep away major depression by more than 25%! This is why it is so important to maintain a regular exercise routine and not let the cold, dark and wet winter days stop you from getting your exercise. Having a great indoor gym facility like NextStep makes this all the more easier, you just have to get yourself there.
Exercise is also a great way to manage your anxiety and has been shown to relieve tension and stress, boost physical and mental health and enhances your wellbeing through the release of endorphins (our happy pills inside of us). You want to find something that you can do that gets you moving and takes your attention, its better for you to focus on the exercise than just zoning out and doing the activity. Such as working out in a gym, focusing on technique and counting reps, taking a exercise class with an instructor or hiring a coach to help you move in different way.
Even if you don't have depression or struggle with anxiety, I bet there are days when you just don't feel like doing anything, and maybe they are more frequent in the winter months? Then a routine of physical activity is going to help you too! We know that exercise is as good as some medicine for our mental health so why not get as much of that as you can so that you feel as good as you can for as long as you can!
If you or someone you know needs a hand dealing with their mental health or even someone that just needs a hand
getting out of a funk/down time then let us know, we have an amazing group of coaches and a perfect facility that are ready to get you moving to happier days! www.nextstepnz.com/contact
Comentarios