How Exercise Can Boost Mental Health

Hi, folks. My name is Nick the poet. I'm a Cadre creator, and I want to talk to you today about the relationship between exercise and mental health. So exercise has been a really key component of my mental health journey in recovery, also, you know, from addiction. And I was a college tennis player. You know, athletics were a huge part of my life. And when I quit playing as much tennis and exercising as much, and, you know, after college, I was really struggling. And, you know, I had become a cigarette smoker, and I would keep, you know, trying to exercise, keep trying to run and play tennis, but I just couldn't do it, you know, as much or as well as I wanted to, but I kept trying.

And so when I, you know, eventually got sober, eventually quit smoking cigarettes, you know, exercise has become an even more important part of my life. And so it's really no secret that exercise is good for your physical health. And we're discovering, obviously, that it has huge positive effects on our mental health, too. So the benefits of exercise extend far beyond just the physical. And in fact, according to the National alliance on Mental Illness, regular exercise can be as effective as medication for some people in treating depression and anxiety.

Now, disclaimer not telling you to quit taking your medication, just saying that exercise can really help whether you're taking medication or not. So some benefits are, is it's going to help you reduce stress. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins, chemicals that have been proven to decrease stress levels. In fact, research has shown that endorphins can actually help to relieve pain. So if you're feeling stressed out, a quick jog or trip to the gym can do wonders for your mental state.

It's also going to improve sleep. And I know sleep is a huge thing. I had a therapist who said, you know, sleep is a skill, and it really is. It's something that we can work on, get better at. We can get off our phone, you know, at a reasonable hour. We can try to make our room as dark as possible. And you, you know, quality sleep is just essential for good mental health. Unfortunately, many people have trouble sleeping due to stress and anxiety. So exercise can help by tiring up the body and promoting a deeper, more restful sleep.

Just be sure not to work out too close to bedtime or you may have trouble falling asleep. I think especially, you know, big time cardio workout right before bed. You get all that blood flowing. It can be hard to, you know, fall asleep. So exercise can also boost energy levels. So it might seem counterintuitive that you get more tired after you work out, but it can actually give you more energy. It's because regular exercise improves your cardiovascular health, which makes it easier for your body to deliver oxygen and nutrients to your cells.

This increased efficiency leads to more energy and improved mental clarity. So lastly, it can increase self esteem, it can help us, you know, improve our physical appearance, it can get those endorphins flowing, it can make us FeEL good. And when we're hitting fitness goals, you know, we're going to feel better. And so when you look good and feel good about yourself, it's naturally going to lead to increased confidence, better self esteem and better mental health overall. So the benefits of exercise and mental health are clear.

So if you're looking for a natural way to improve your mood and reduce stress, then regular exercise should be a part of your routine. Start slow and gradually increase the amount or intensity of your workouts until you find what works best for you. And soon enough, you're going to be reaping all the benefits that come from a healthy mind and body. So that's my tip for you today. I hope you have an awesome one. Please get out there, get some exercise and let me know how it goes. Write me an email.

Nhanson Nhansenadre IO I'd love to hear how exercise is helping your mental health. Have an awesome night. Bye.