A lack of exercise is often the reason why people do not feel their best. Many clinical studies have demonstrated that people who at least participate in basic cardio on a regular basis are happier and in less pain. So, why does exercise make us feel so good? You have probably read that cardio releases endorphins into the brain, and while that is true, it is but a small part of a much larger equation.
Table of Contents
1. Exercise Beats the Blues
This a byproduct of those endorphins mentioned in the introduction. Endorphins are a natural neurochemical created by our brains. In a person who is otherwise mentally healthy, feeling down in the dumps is often due to a lack of endorphins, and even just a light 20-minute workout session can be enough to turn sadness or another negative mood right around.
2. The Runner’s High Is More Than Just Endorphins
Ever hear of runner’s high or perhaps swimmer’s high? This is a tangible effect in which a person exerting themselves physically over an extended period experiences euphoria. You can feel invincible during this period and undergo significantly reduced pain and discomfort. Most scientists agree that this effect can’t be completely or even mostly explained by endorphins.
3. It’s a Natural Painkiller
As you get older, you may experience a wide range of soreness and other discomfort that cannot be attributed to anything in particular. Well, those endorphins again do a great job of mitigating and eliminating those aches. But it is not just the endorphins. Another big part of the reduced soreness is better blood flow and thus better oxygenation of the muscles.
4. It Reduces Stress
Exercise is so effective at reducing stress that it is actually used by mental health professionals to treat post-traumatic stress disorder. What is interesting is that exercise mitigates stress in the short-term but also the long-term. As you exercise, you are actually subjecting yourself to low-level stress. Your body does not discern between stressors. Stress is stress, and so each time you exercise, your body is learning how to better deal with all of the stressors that life can throw at it.
5. It Eases Anxiety
There is strong data suggesting that people who exercise regularly are less anxious than those that do not. Doctors encourage patients dealing with social anxieties to use exercise as a coping technique. Recent studies have also shown that people who exercise regularly are less likely to relapse into panic attacks than those patients who do not exercise regularly or at all.
6. It Gets the Motor Running
For most people who work out regularly in the morning, it does not make them more tired throughout the day. It has the opposite effect because it sparks energy and improves your ability to maintain it. Even just walking around 20 minutes before or during a workday can have a similar effect.
7. It Enhances Learning
A number of neurobiology studies have found that regular cardio boosts learning ability in test subjects. A leading theory is that neurons have a reset switch that exercise is effective at triggering. This enhanced learning is not just limited to math and the like. It is behavioral as well. A number of studies have found that people quitting cigarettes are better able to manage withdrawal with regular exercise.
8. It Improves Memory
Exercise improves memory as well, and this likely has to do with neuron reset switches too. Cardio has been shown to help stave off dementia as well as mitigate its symptoms. The effect is not just short-term either, and it does not require an abundance of exercise either. A recent study found that people who exercised once the month before had much better recall than the group which did not.
9. It Fights Insomnia
Regular exercise is among the greatest tools in the insomniac’s toolbox, and this effect is not just limited to those who suffer from the disorder. Exercise makes it easier for everyone to fall asleep. It improves sleep quality throughout the night, and it provides a lot more pep when you wake in the morning.
10. It Helps with Regularity
Doctors often recommend exercise along with proper hydration and diet for constipation relief. Regular exercise helps ensure regular bowel movements. Minor constipation may not always be obvious but can have a very real effect on how your body feels and the mood that you are in.
11. Improved Immune System
Physical activity helps to flush bacteria from your lungs and airways as well as flush toxins from the bloodstream. It also improves white blood cells by encouraging them to move faster and thus identify illnesses sooner. Body temperatures during exercise have also been shown to combat bacterial growth and help you fight infections, which is similar to when you have a fever.
Well, there you have it, eleven reasons why exercise makes you feel good. Be mindful that many experts advise that when you work out is just as important as working out enough. For many people, exercising before work is an amazing way to set their energy and the tone for an entire day.
About Carson Derrow
