This Is Medicine for Your Mind
When I began to exercise 24 1/2 years ago, I did so because I wanted my body to change. I was sick with cancer, weak and debilitated from chemo, tremendously overweight, and 100% committed to changing those things.
What I realized after I had been exercising for a while, was that not only did I get stronger, leaner and more physically resilient…but my mental energy changed, my mood changed, and my overall feeling of wellbeing changed also. At the time I didn’t fully realize the connection, but as the years went on, I learned that I was experiencing a few of the powerful (and proven) mental effects of exercise.
In fact, consistent, challenging, and proper exercise has been shown to do things such as:
- Regenerate brain cells
- Prevent or slow down the formation of Alzheimer’s and dementia
- Improve memory
- Improve mental focus
- Improve mental energy
- Decrease depression
- Stabilize mood
- Improve ADHD/ADD symptoms
- and much more
Not convinced? Here is an image of brain scans with and without exercise. The less blue, the better.
Here’s a great article that summarizes many of the mental benefits of exercise. It also gives some practical advice for how to get more overall exercise/movement/activity in your daily life and how to overcome common obstacles:
The Mental Health Benefits of Exercise
Hope you enjoy it! Please share it with your loved ones!
Chris