Astateofphysicalandmentalhealthallowsyoutotakepartinexercisecomfortablyandenjoyablysothatitdoesn’thurt,sothatyoucanlookforwardtoit,andfeelgoodafterwards.Ifyouarefeelingdown,exercisemayhelppickyouup.Althoughresearchersdisagreeonthisissue,onereviewofpaststudiesfoundthatlong-termexercise,especiallywhenitincludeslong-lasting,strenuoustrainingsessions,hasaboutasmuchofaneffectondepressionaspsychotherapy.
Workingouthelpsyoudealwithstressinyourjob,relationshipsoranyareaoflife—possiblybecauseexerciseisaformofstressitselfandhelpsconditionyourbodytodealwithit.WhenAustralianresearcherscomparedpeoplewhodid30minutesofaerobicexercisethreetimesaweektothosewhopracticedprogressiverelaxationtechniques,theyfoundthattheformergrouprespondedbettertoacutestressandhadlowerbloodpressure.Evenalittleexercisecanmakeyouthinklessanxiously.Studieshaveshownthatanyamountofexercise,fromabrisk10minutewalktoanintenseaerobicsorweightliftingsessionseemstodecreasefeelingsofanxiety.
Workingoutregularlymaymakeyousmarternowandlessenthepossibilitythatyou’lllosebrainfunctionasyouage.AccordingtoarecentanimalstudyattheUniversityofIllinois,exercisecanactuallyhelpthebraindevelopnewcells.Inseveralstudies,regularweighttrainingoraerobicexercisewasshowntoimprovethequalityanddurationofsleep.Naturally,thiscanmakeyoulessfatiguedandbeabletofunctionbetterduringtheday.Likemeditation,hobbiesoranyotherleisureactivity,exercisegivesyourmindaneededbreakfromeverydaythoughts,responsibilitiesandcommitments.Finally,there’sonemorereasontokeepexercising.Whenyouworkoutregularly,yourbodysimplyfunctionsbetteryouarebetter,healthierandlesslikelytosufferpainfulphysicalconditions.Andthatjustplainfeelsgood.