Thursday, December 25, 2008

Does exercise to make yourself feel better?

By June Bell

People are always being warned about the health benefits of exercising, mainly the improvement and maintenance of physical fitness and the prevention of heart disease, blood pressure illness, and diabetes. Countless others do not,while many of us happily comply. Irrespective of whether it is using the treadmill or short walk around the block, staying fit and healthy does not seem to be a driver for us to leave the comfort of the couch.

I believe that if more emphasis were placed on the mental benefits of exercising, more people would exercise. If you tell someone that doing a little bit of exercise might improve their well-being, said person might be more willing to actually exercise in order to improve mood, fitness, and health. While this is not logical, it is the way peoples minds work. It is likely that when you are not feeling good about yourself, you are not motivated to take on any long term physical challenges and goals.

It is a much easier task to motivate people to exercise to improve their moods. About ten minutes of moderate exercise will have a positive effect on a persons mental state, putting them in a better mood, making them feel more energetic and less tired. On the other side, you can not expect to get good results from exercise (exercise along with healthiness) unless you commit to at least thirty minutes of moderate but regular exercise a day, for however long it takes ,usually forever, since ceasing to exercise altogether is not good for your health or physical well-being..

Studies have demonstrated that exercising impacts the brain in a variety of ways, among them, what is termed neurogenesis the development of nerve tissue) which is believed to enhance a persons mood and release endorphins. Endorphins are chemicals or hormones that are released by the pituitary gland in response to stress or pain which is exactly what exercise is to some of us. Endorphins send a message to the brain that blocks pain and promotes feelings of euphoria. An improvement in the moods of patients experiencing depression who have been given Beta-endorphin injections has been reported by researchers. Adrenaline, serotonin and dopamine, which are also released by your body when you exercise, work together with endorphins to boost your mood naturally and almost immediately.

"Endorphin" literally refers to morphine that the human body manufactures. For what reason? The molecular composition of endorphins is comparable to that of morphine, meaning that both can help to relieve pain. The Brain receptors that react to endorphins also react to Morphine. Exercise doesn't just cause the release of endorphins in the body located within the bloodstreamyou will find that you have had a significant reduction in cortisol, tension and anxiety as a result.

The most significant thing is that it's not necessary to spend large amounts of time exercising. Your mood with be significantly improved if you exercise moderately. Aside from the natural chemical processes, exercise also gives several benefits that lead to a happier and healthier you.

Turn off the TV and go for a brisk walk. You will definitely feel better, a lot better, so much that you just might want to do it again the next time you are feeling bored or low, and possibly do it again the next time. There will become a point that you may notice an improvement in your mental well being as well as your physical. - 15438

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