MENTAL & PHYSICAL HEALTH GO HAND IN HAND
October is Mental Health Month, but does that mean that’s the only time you should take care of your mental health? Definitely not. Mental health is at least as important as physical health, maybe even more so. The two go hand in hand.
You may have heard the saying that when the body moves, the brain rests. This is no joke, it is 100% true. Unfortunately, the problem we face today is that people don’t move as much as they should. There are always reasons not to move: there is not enough time, energy or inclination to move separately after the work or school day. The connection between physical activity and mental well-being is often forgotten.
A person is a whole, neglecting the physical, the mental suffers and vice versa.
What characterizes good mental health?
- You feel good in your body, confident in your abilities and happy.
- You feel that you deserve everything good that happens to you.
- You will cope with the difficulties that come your way.
- You feel connected and a sense of belonging to your community and your surroundings.
- You feel that you have control over your life and freedom of decision.
- You feel that you are respected and that you have a purpose in life.
5 ways exercise is good for your mental health.
- Short daily walks will improve your well-being. Even a 15-minute walk is enough to improve a person’s well-being. After a brisk walk you’ll feel more relaxed.
- Exercise does wonders for your self-esteem. In one study, participants were made to follow a specific exercise program for six months. Before starting the program, the study participants were asked questions about their self-esteem, opinion about themselves and their physical and mental abilities. After six months, the same questions were asked again and the answers were much more positive. In six months, people’s subjective evaluation of themselves had increased and, in general, they were much more satisfied with themselves.
- Physical activity reduces stress and anxiety. Physical activity has two positive effects. The first of them has been known for a long time that exercise immediately helps against stress: you exercise, the level of the stress hormone, or cortisol, in the body decreases. It turns out that regular exercise and movement also help create long-term protection against stress. This means that you won’t feel the same amount of stress when you exercise regularly. If it occurs, physically active people cope better with it.
- Exercise and physical activity prevent mental disorders in old age. It has been found that keeping physically active and brain stimulated will do you good in old age, when cognitive abilities naturally begin to decline.
- Physical activity improves quality of life for those struggling with mental health issues. Regular exercise and movement can help relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety. In addition, moving improves your mood, you live more in the moment, your attention span increases and your sleep improves. In addition, exercise helps to improve the quality of life thanks to the creation of social ties that come with exercise, targeted use of time and goal-based activities.
