Mental Health And Exercise

The body and mind are very much connected in health and fitness. According to the Mayo Clinic, “exercise helps prevent and improve a number of health problems including high blood pressure, diabetes and arthritis. Research on depression, anxiety and exercise shows that the psychological and physical benefits of exercise can also help improve mood and reduce anxiety.”

The demands of “modern life” can overwhelm even the best of intentions. Depression and anxiety are at the highest recorded levels. We know how the mind can cause us to develop negative behaviors and attitudes. We can often times become stuck and find ourselves repeating the same unhelpful behaviors. This reduces our ability to use what we already know and put in the effort to see new solutions or to change. We know that exercise produces the body’s natural “feel good” hormones. There may be days that you mentally and physically don’t want to come to the gym but how great do you feel after you accomplished the training? Often our mind is the biggest hurdle. Exercise can make problems seem more manageable. Focusing on exercise can give us a break from current concerns. Exercising and interacting with others are known to improve mood. The Get Fit NH Family is here to help each other. So whether you are just having a bad day, a very rough time in life or are seeking help for depression and anxiety, exercise is now recognized as one of the best things you can do for both your physical and mental health – it does your mind and body good! Even small improvements in exercise levels or healthy eating create a positive upward spiral that signal reward. Exercise will eventually become rewarding, even if that seems impossible at the beginning.

-Coach Erin