3 Reasons Why Exercising Outdoors Can Improve Your Mood
Exercise is wonderful for the mental health of individuals because it increases the number of endorphins flowing through the body, which translates to a better mood and the lessening of symptoms from anxiety and depression. Find out more about how exercise can improve your mood below.
Exercise Effects Your Brain Chemistry Similar to Meditation
Exercising has a very similar effect on your brain to meditation. This is because it allows your brain to open up in awareness without your mind tunneling into rumination or worry. This profound effect provides relief from symptoms of anxiety and depression, such as loss of appetite or fatigue. It does this by allowing the mind to shift without effort or conscious focus. This is especially good news for people who don’t naturally enjoy meditation or find it difficult to sit still for long periods of time. It is also great for people who find it difficult to focus without external stimuli.
Exercise Helps to Increase Your Sense of Confidence
Exercise can affect your mood by boosting your sense of self-worth and confidence. When it comes to leading a more fulfilling life, having confidence is immeasurably important. Without confidence, you don’t see yourself as capable enough to accomplish what you need to with your life, whether that be getting through depression or climbing a mountain. If you find it difficult to start exercising on your own, it may be useful to start exercising with a small group of people. This way, you will be held accountable to show up for exercising. Your team will expect you to be there, and together you can foster a sense of working towards the same goal. With this teamwork mindset, when you work out with other people, you should feel more optimistic about facing challenges. This can translate into a stronger sense of confidence for being able to tackle challenges unrelated to exercise in your own personal life.
Exercise Enables You to Create Stronger Bonds With Your Fellow Human Beings
Movement increases your odds of creating a lasting bond with other people. Having a similar goal such as losing weight or staying healthy allows you to bond with your fellow members in ways that would be difficult to do otherwise because not only are you bonding based on what your values are but you are bonding over the activity itself. That activity could be swimming, walking, dancing, or plain old working out. In any case, participating in exercise with other people changes your mentality on life as all of you try to tackle a common challenge together, whether that be losing 5 pounds or walking up a very steep hill. Nothing brings people together quite like physical activity!
