Ask yourself these questions before proceeding with the article. Are you a person who would like to learn about how exercise benefits mental health? Do you want to have more energy throughout the day? Are you someone who wants to improve their ability to focus? Are you trying to find ways to improve your mood? Do you want to improve your sleep schedule?
If the answer was yes to these questions I have decided to let you in on one of the many, not-so-secret solutions on how to do so! Are you ready? EXERCISE! Now exercise does not just mean joining a gym, lifting absurd amounts of weight, running a marathon, etc. Exercise is imperative to how we live and operate our lives. Exercise is beneficial for the body, but it is just as helpful and important to exercise the mind and the soul.
Exercise benefits our mental health and is good for the mind and the soul. Let’s get technical for a second. Our bodies release neurochemicals known as endorphins (the happy hormones). The body releases these endorphins in response to:
Pain
Stress
Eating
Exercise
Sex
The word endorphins come from 2 words, “endogenous” which means from within the body, and “morphine”, which we know as an opiate pain reliever. So we can safely say that endorphins are the body’s natural way of relieving pain, its natural pain reliever.
We can write and discuss the correlation between exercise and mental health diagnosis or how exercise can change your life for pages and days. But for this article let’s focus on two parts.
Part 1: 4 Ways Exercise Benefits Mental Health
- More Energy:
- Regular exercise helps us boost energy as well as helps our bodies to reduce fatigue. Let’s get technical again, working out helps oxygen and nutrients travel to our hearts and lungs which helps improve our stamina, endurance, and cardiovascular system. If you are saying to yourself, I feel exhausted after working out, how does it create more energy? Anything we do and want to get better at will take time, exercise and energy are no different. Over time of consistent exercise, our bodies gain more energy from exercise routines as opposed to the first time working out. We have to get to a place in which we understand that fatigue is created from inactivity.
- Examples of Exercises:
- Low-intensity workouts
- Yoga
- Brisk walks outdoors
- Improves Focus: We can all relate to that midday slump or knowing we have to focus on a task but cannot do so. Studies have shown that a light 20-minute walk or jog improves focus for up to one hour. Exercising regularly helps us better focus and concentrate. Not only does it help us improve focus but it also helps us with decision-making, improving our attention span, and improving our thinking and memory. In a study conducted by the University of British Columbia, they found that regular aerobic exercise helps to boost the size of the hippocampus (this is the part of the brain associated with verbal memory and learning).
- Better Mood: A regular exercise routine helps us feel better. We already discussed endorphins which are known as the body’s natural pain reliever. It is a happy hormone but regular exercise pulls together an entire group of happy hormones, in a way, the avengers of feeling good. These happy hormones work together to decrease anxiety, prevent depressive symptoms, and activate pleasure and joy, it also helps us create bonds and trust.
- Members of the Super Team:
- Serotonin: mood stabilizer, wellbeing, happiness
- Dopamine: pleasure, this chemical is released when your brain is expecting a reward.
Oxytocin: Helps create bonds, love, and trust.- Endorphins: pain relief, relaxation, runners high
- Members of the Super Team:
- Health Benefits:
- This is probably something that most people know but should still be stated. Exercise has many health benefits and can help our bodies better handle and deal with illness. For example, exercise or any type of physical activity is one of the best ways to manage high blood pressure. Physical activity is also an important part of managing type 1 diabetes. Exercise also helps manage our weight and helps to regulate our appetite.
- Exercise also impacts mental health in many ways. Studies have shown the benefits of exercise can have on:
Depression
Anxiety
Stress
ADHD
PTSD
Part 2: 4 Benefits of Morning Exercise
Helps Avoid Distractions and Establishes Routines:
- Throughout our day different obstacles and situations are going to present themselves. Oftentimes these things will occur at the worst moments and can throw our entire plan or routine for a loop. This is one of the many reasons why so many people choose to exercise in the morning. It is for the most part one of the quietest moments of the day. You are more likely to get fewer texts, phone calls, and emails in the early morning which should help reduce our excuses as to why we did not exercise. Morning exercise can also help establish a routine. It typically takes about two months for a habit to stick, so commit to an exercise routine for two months and it will start to get easier.
- Throughout our day different obstacles and situations are going to present themselves. Oftentimes these things will occur at the worst moments and can throw our entire plan or routine for a loop. This is one of the many reasons why so many people choose to exercise in the morning. It is for the most part one of the quietest moments of the day. You are more likely to get fewer texts, phone calls, and emails in the early morning which should help reduce our excuses as to why we did not exercise. Morning exercise can also help establish a routine. It typically takes about two months for a habit to stick, so commit to an exercise routine for two months and it will start to get easier.
- Improved Sleep:
- No doubt that one of the hardest parts about establishing a morning workout routine is being able to wake up in the morning. Studies have shown that those who exercise in the early morning generally demonstrate better sleep patterns and have fewer night time wake-ups. Also, exercising in the evening can make it harder to fall asleep at night.
- Sets the Tone:
- A lot of the benefits of morning exercise come from the impact that it has on the rest of the day. Waking up (even if it means waking up a little earlier) to work out gets your day started on the right track. When we work out our bodies secrete neurotransmitters that help us be more attentive and clear-minded. Working out in the morning can also lead to a healthier mindset which can lead to making healthier choices with food. Also, our bodies produce hormones called cortisol. This hormone works to keep us awake and alert. Research has shown that cortisol increases in the morning and drops in the evening.
- Less Stress:
- Stress, we all have it but we all learn to cope and deal with it differently. Although there are many ways to manage stress (therapy, meditation, medication, making time for yourself, etc.) exercise is the one way I am going to focus on right now. As we mentioned earlier exercise helps us produce and secrete the happy hormone. Working out in the morning helps to get your day started on a positive note. Stress as we know can feel like a strain on the body, exercise helps our bodies relax our muscles and relieve tension.
As a therapist, I understand how exercise benefits mental health and the life-changing impact that regular exercise can have on both physical and mental health. Establishing a morning exercise routine can be particularly beneficial in helping us set a positive tone for the day ahead. However, starting a new routine can be challenging. To help you begin, here are four practical tips to get started.
Four Tips on Exercise Benefits for Mental Health in the Morning 
- Start Small and Gradual: Begin with short and manageable workouts, such as a 10-minute walk or gentle stretching. You can increase the duration and intensity of these workouts as your body begins to adapt.
- Prepare the Night Before: As we get older we begin to realize that one easy thing we can do to help us manage life stressors is to plan and prepare the day before. Lay out your workout clothes, pack your gym bag, and set your alarm to create a seamless transition to your morning routine.
- Find an Activity You Enjoy: Choose exercises that you find enjoyable, whether it’s yoga, cycling, or dancing. This will make it easier to stick with the routine. Do your best to be mindful of routine killers such as boredom and redundancy. With time you will want to challenge yourself to new workouts such as kickboxing, Jujitsu, body boot camp, cross fit, etc.
- Stay Consistent: Consistency is key. Aim to exercise at the same time each morning to help establish a habit. Even on days when motivation is low, try to stick to your routine to build discipline and resilience. I believe that the days we struggle most to continue our exercise routines are generally the days we need it most.
As always, these are just suggestions and not rules for success. If the morning is not a good time, that is okay. The important part is that we try to incorporate some kind of exercise into our routines and learn how exercise benefits our mental health. It will be difficult at first but consistency builds predictability and exercise helps build confidence, and stress management, increases self-esteem, and helps us feel a little more accomplished.
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