How Simply Moving Benefits Your Mental Health

30 Apr 2022

Source: https://unsplash.com/photos/C7h_31Lz16Y

As we all know, exercise is not just about getting yourself healthy physically and losing weight or maybe gaining some muscles. Of course, it is clear that people exercise to get a good fit or good body, and it also motivates most people to stay active. But did you know that moving can have such a significant impact on mental health? Recent studies suggest that there is a strong interconnection between the brain and the body, which means that movement can affect the brain. That suggests that physical exercise has the same benefits for our brains as it does for our bodies.

By doing yoga, people could be more relaxed and release all the tensions they had before. Who knew that doing exercises could reduce depression and anxiety, improve your mood, improve your self-esteem, and minimize your stress level? Moving our body could enhance our brain function. Have you seen that people who exercise regularly often feel more energetic? It tends to make them feel more relaxed and positive about their lives and end up having a good mental state. That is why moving has such a powerful impact on people’s mental health challenges and can profoundly change people’s lives for the better good.

According to research, getting enough movement can improve mental health. Among the movements that can be done is by exercising, such as regular aerobic exercise can reduce anxiety disorders caused by a faster heart rate. And with this aerobic exercise can develop a tolerance system to these symptoms. Other sports such as cycling, the gym, resistance, flexibility, and balance exercises can also reduce symptoms of depression, because these types of exercise are as effective as medication and psychotherapy. Regular exercise can also make your mood better because the brain will increase a protein called BDNF which functions to help the growth of nerve fibers.

In addition, meditation has been shown to reduce symptoms of depression. This meditation is a type of movement in which one pays attention to bodily sensations. Meditation is useful for reducing the severity of symptoms in post-traumatic stress disorder until some people no longer meet the criteria for this diagnosis. Movements that change posture, practice breathing, and rhythm can all change a person’s brain, which can reduce stress, depression, and anxiety, and lead to feelings of well-being.

A psychologist and his colleagues conducted a study in 2014 that in this study required participants to interact with others via video links. The person will do the standard exercise and watch, then the person will do the same movement. The result was that when people synced their moves by purposefully following the recording, their self-esteem increased compared to when they didn’t. This research shows that. Research on why small activities can be beneficial such as increasing blood flow and oxygen to the brain and increasing BDNF in the brain, this action can also improve mood or sleep, strong research has been shown to be done. Gesture synchronization can also make it easier for a person to remember what people said and remember what they looked like. That’s why dance movement therapy can help depressed patients feel better.

The mind and body are closely related, while the brain is the primary control system for body movement, the way you move can also influence how you think and feel. For this reason, movement is often used as an adjunct treatment for depression and anxiety when mental effort, psychotherapy, or medication are not sufficient. When a person is too tired to control the mind to stay positive, or to see the situation from another angle, simple gestures will do the trick. By exercising, taking a meditative walk alone, or taking a walk with someone you can gain access to desired mental changes without having to force yourself to feel better.

Being active is important for physical health, but the psychological benefits of exercising make it a great coping mechanism when you’re “feeling sick” or anxious. It is because the mind and body are closely connected. And while the brain is the primary control system for body movement, movement can also affect how you think and feel. Stepping away from the cause of stress is also a great way to give the brain a break and get a fresh perspective when it comes back to the brain. It is important to remember that mental health is just as important as physical health.

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Rahma Alia, Shafira Rifani, Vianca Adeline, Dahayu Calya