From mild anxiety to severe depression, stress can manifest in numerous ways in a person’s life. While many people adopt therapy or medication, working out is a great and proven way to relieve stress in a natural and holistic manner. Exercises not only enhance fitness but also significantly promotes mental health. Whether you prefer yoga, gym, dancing, running or playing a sport, these activities provide stress relief and improve your quality of life.
Working out stimulates endorphin release
Any physical activity results in the production and release of endorphins, a group of peptides (small chains of amino acids) produced by the pituitary gland and the central nervous system. It enhances or triggers the feeling of pleasure and well-being, while easing pain and discomfort, enabling stress relief.
“Whenever we exercise, endorphins are released. Endorphins act as natural pain relievers which make us feel good,” says Mumbai-based clinical and sports psychologist Kunashni Parikh. “They are also called feel-good hormones or happy hormones.”
“When large amounts of endorphins are released in your body, you experience something called the runner’s high. You can still benefit from the effects of endorphins without experiencing a runner’s high. Endorphins can trigger the same impact in your body as any other type of pleasurable activity,” adds Parikh.
Working out releases pent-up emotions
“Physical activity helps one release a lot of negative emotions,” says Parikh.
“Going for a workout or just a walk when you are feeling emotionally charged calms down the mind and all the emotional responses going on in the mind. It gives you some clarity as well,” she adds.
Gut health and mental health
The connection between gut health and mental health is well established. A major share of serotonin [a neurotransmitter that transmits signals among nerve cells in the brain and the other parts of the body] is produced in the gut.
“Serotonin is responsible for regulating emotions of happiness and anxiety,” says Parikh. “The gut is where most of the neurotransmitter, serotonin, is made. When your gut health is good, the neurotransmitter functioning also gets better. Exercise aid in controlling and enhancing neurotransmitter levels.”
Being mindful through workouts
According to a review paper published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Research, mindfulness could improve general coping mechanisms for a variety of distress and impairments, including those that arise under circumstances like severe disorders or stress.
“Working out allows you to experience mindfulness,” says Parikh.
“When you are exercising, it is difficult to focus on other things,” she adds. “The specific activity involved takes you away from thoughts about the future and the past. It ensures less overthinking and a calmer feeling since the person is forced to be in the present moment. It helps people tune out their minds and brings in a sense of flow.”
Exercise improves brain function through enhanced neurogenesis.
“Workout supports the biological process known as neurogenesis [the process by which new neurons develop in the brain], which is connected to enhancements in mental function,” says Parikh.
Takeaways
- Working out not just improves physical health, but it also enhances stress relief.
- Endorphins are released during any form of physical activity, which increases the feeling of pleasure and well-being while reducing pain and discomfort.
- Workouts help enhance the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that regulates emotions including happiness and anxiety.
- Exercises also help with mindfulness and neurogenesis.
