We all know that there are many physical health benefits of exercise for both children and adults, like helping to:

• Develop and maintain cardiovascular fitness and a healthy body weight,
• Build strength and to tone your body,
• Develop co-ordination and movement skills,
• Move your joints to prevent pain and stiffness,
• Maintain or improve cholesterol, blood pressure and sugar levels in your body to reduce your risk of illness.

But did you know that exercise can be just as good for your mental health and mood as well? That’s especially important for all of us right now.

The benefits of exercise on mental health

Exercise can boost your mental health by:

• Boosting your mood and energy levels,
• Increasing your brain power,
• Improving your self-esteem,
• Reducing your stress levels, and
• Helping you to sleep better.

Let’s look at each of these benefits in turn.

Exercising to boost your mood and energy levels

Exercise releases chemicals like endorphins and serotonin that help you to improve your mood and your energy levels. Endorphins and serotonin are known as ‘feel-good’ chemicals. Even if you don’t feel particularly happy or energetic before you start exercising, just doing some physical activity triggers these feel-good chemicals.

Exercising to benefit your brain

When you exercise, blood and oxygen circulates faster around your body, including to your brain. This can help you to:

• Think more clearly,
• Improve your memory (by increasing the connections between your nerve cells and your brain). 

Exercise also usually requires you to focus on the activity you’re doing, which can help to improve your ability to concentrate. 

Exercising to boost your self-esteem 

When you exercise, you’ll often feel more confident and better about yourself (especially if you set yourself exercise goals to improve and you achieve them). When you do, your self-esteem will also improve. 

It’s important to set yourself realistic exercise goals. They should be challenging but achievable to help to keep you motivated. It doesn’t matter if they’re only small goals. The main thing is to do enough exercise to either maintain or improve your physical and mental health. If necessary, start by doing small bursts of exercise and increase the length and frequency of your sessions as your fitness level improves. 

Exercising to reduce your stress levels

It may seem strange on the surface, but studies have shown that exercise can help you to relax and feel calmer. When you exercise, the amount of stress hormones (like cortisol and adrenaline) that your body releases drops. And of course, your body’s release of endorphins while you’re exercising helps to reduce your stress levels as well.

Both of these natural by-products of exercise will reduce your stress and anxiety levels. Exercise can also be fun too!

Exercising to help you sleep better

A good night’s sleep is great for your energy levels. Exercise can help you to both fall asleep faster and to have a better quality of sleep, which will make you feel more refreshed when you wake up.

However, to get these sleep benefits, it’s important that you don’t exercise just before you want to go to sleep. Otherwise, you’ll be too hyped up. Make sure you exercise at least a few hours before you want to go to sleep instead.

The bottom line

You don’t have to be a fitness fanatic to get both mental and physical health benefits from exercise. Even moderate, regular exercise can deliver results. Exercise is also more important than ever for your mental health during this unprecedented period of self-isolation that we’re all going through during the coronavirus restrictions. Make it part of your daily routine, and you’ll be reaping the benefits in no time.

How we can help

At HBF Stadium gym we are committed to supporting every fitness journey, from your first day stepping foot into a gym to personal training, group fitness classes or technique correction. Trial our gym for 7 days free!