While many people start their fitness journey with physical goals in mind (shedding weight, toning muscles, increasing endurance), exercise can do so much more. It can also help improve mental health and promote the so-called “mind-muscle connection.”
Regular exercise enhances something called neuroplasticity and can result in better mood, reduced stress, and increased cognitive function.
1. Relieves Stress
Keeping consistent with mindful exercise and positive visualization can help you create a strong bridge between mind and body. Practicing these habits can also increase your mood and help you cope with stress.
For example, you can try listening to music while exercising to provide a distraction and lower your stress hormone levels. You can also incorporate the power of positive self-talk into your workouts by focusing on the good things you are accomplishing, rather than how much harder you could work or how far you still have to go.
Staying healthy with your mental health in mind also means avoiding unhealthy coping techniques such as binge-eating or drinking to feel better. Instead, make a habit of doing something that will help you relax and reduce your stress such as meditating or finding time to spend with friends. You can even use a journal to track accomplishments and share them with others, which can help boost your mood.
2. Increases Self-Esteem
There is a strong relationship between healthy self-esteem and the ability to successfully engage in positive behavior. Individuals with high self-esteem tend to have more satisfying relationships, achieve higher levels of job performance and well-being, avoid antisocial behaviors, and have better physical health than those who have low self-esteem.
To be clear, having a healthy sense of self-worth isn’t about having an unrealistically inflated view of who you are or what you can do. Rather, it’s about loving yourself and finding worth in the things that make you unique and special, while still giving grace to those areas that may need to be worked on.
Getting your mental game in order is critical to achieving your fitness goals. Incorporating mindfulness into your workouts, like focusing on each rep and aiming to perform them correctly, can help you establish a mind-muscle connection. This can increase your confidence and help you overcome obstacles that might otherwise hinder your progress, such as being tired or having a bad day.
3. Boosts Your Mood
One of the best parts about regular exercise is that it improves your mood. That’s why taking time for your mental health can be so important to achieving your fitness goals.
Boosting your mood can help you stay motivated and committed to working out, especially on days when the couch looks much more appealing than the gym. Trying to incorporate more activities into your daily routine that require physical movement, like walking instead of driving, taking the stairs, or parking farther away, can make it easier to get up and move.
Exercising with a friend or loved one, whether it’s to work out with them or to meet up and socialize, can also help you stay motivated and encourage each other to stick to your workout plans. This is a great way to create a positive support system that can reduce feelings of isolation, which can contribute to depression and anxiety symptoms.
4. Reduces Anxiety
Anxiety disorders cause a significant burden to people’s mental health, impairing their quality of life and impacting their ability to work. Research has consistently shown that exercise can significantly reduce anxiety symptoms, both as a standalone treatment and when used in conjunction with therapy or medication.
Performing isolation exercises with the help of a mirror is one way to hone in on specific muscle groups and improve your ability to feel them contract. In addition, breathing deeply (using the diaphragm) helps to concentrate your mental focus on the muscles you’re working.
A healthy mind can make a huge difference in your fitness journey, helping you stay motivated to hit your goals and achieve a happier and healthier body. If you’re struggling with depression or anxiety, try talking to a trusted friend or visiting a mental health professional.
