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Why Exercise is Good for the Emotions
You hear a
lot about how good exercise is for your physical health. But did you
know that exercise is also good for your emotional health? How can
exercise be good for your emotions? And why is your emotional health an
important factor in your overall health?
The brain
is where our emotions originate from. The brain and its functions are so
complex that much of how it does everything that it does, still
remains a mystery to scientists.
Through
scientific research and study, scientists have discovered that our
emotions- how we feel is just one such complex function of the
brain. Neurons in the brain, mixing with hormones (naturally produced by
the body,) come together to form the basis of our emotions. When
different hormones mix with neurons, various emotions are produced:
happiness, contentment, sadness, empathy, anger and fear, to name just a
few.
The hormone
believed to be responsible for our feelings of happiness is known as an
“endorphin.” The more endorphins we have in our bodies and reaching into
our brains, the more content and happier we feel. “Endorphins”
have also been found to be “stabilizers,” in that they can often reduce
the ability of some hormones to come together with specific neurons,
which when not impeded, results in the negative emotions we experience.
Exercise
has been found to raise the level of endorphins in the body and when
this reaches the neurons of the brain, we experience a lifting of the
happiness and contentment we feel.
Exercise
can also significantly reduce the bodies/brain’s reaction to an
over-production of hormones that can lead to negative emotions such as
stress, frustration, and anger. A good work-out, (one that makes you
really sweat) is like the “control-valve” on a pressure cooker. Exercise
allows you to “vent” the negative emotions that have been building
inside of you. Maybe your blood is “boiling” because once again your
boss has failed to notice your hard work and dedication, or the kids
have been squabbling all day, or man’s supposed best-friend has chewed
holes in your favorite chair. Exercise can be a cooling-gel for any of
the heated emotions you are feeling.
Negative
emotions left unchecked can lead to a host of aches, pains and even
illnesses if you’re not proactive in reducing the level and the amount
of time spent feeling negative emotions. So you see, our emotions have
an impact, both negative and positive not just on our emotional health,
but also our physical health.
Exercise
can give our emotional health the boost it needs to deal with life. And
let's face it; life can be pretty rough at times can’t it? Why add to
the rough stuff that life throws at us, by not keeping your mind and
body in top-shape?
Are you
feeling a bit down today? Grab your shoes and “walk-away-the blues.”
That’s right, walking is just what you need to chase away the occasional
case of the blah’s we’ve all experienced.
*
Depression is a serious condition with a greater degree of sadness than
just feeling “blue or sad” once in awhile. Talk with your doctor if you
suspect depression or have been feeling really sad for more than 2
weeks. Depression is treatable and millions of people suffer from
depression each year. Your doctor can prescribe medications and other
treatments to help you with your depression. Exercise is likely to be
one of the treatments recommended along with medications by your doctor.
Exercise is a proven and powerful tool in the treatment of depression
and other emotional disorders.
Remember
that regular exercise for emotional and physical health equals Complete
Health!
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