Use Exercise To Boost Your Mood and Body
Exercise is one of the most underutilized forms of anti-depressants. According to the American Psychological Association, there are mental health benefits of moving your muscles. Most of us know the benefits and outcomes of physical movement. However new studies are emerging about exercise lifting people’s mood and boosting the brain.
Try these tips to help you fit exercise into your routine:
- If you’re new to exercise, start small. Try five minutes or ten minutes. Then work your way up to longer, more strenuous activities.
- When do you have the most energy? Mornings, lunch time, afternoon or evenings? Build your movement around the time you feel the best.
- Find something you enjoy and continue it for three to four weeks. It takes between 21 and 30 days to make something a habit.
- Have a workout buddy you can move with or use a health accountability system that you can track your exercise, such as MyFitnessPal app.
- Put on a few of your favorite songs and dance when no one is around or watching. Or sign up for a local dance class with a friend or partner.
- Build up to a 5K walk or race that you can do in the fall. Go for a walk (or jog) several times per week.
- Try a variety of exercises to keep you from becoming stagnant. Go for an indoor swim on a rainy or cold day. Visit a new gym class. Play volleyball on the beach. Do a search for exercise routines on YouTube and perform ones that interest you. Track what you like and don’t like. Just move for your body and for your mood.
