BY: Dr. Prerna Kohli
The positive effects of exercise and lead to Happiness!
Get up and exercise, depending upon your level of fitness start to exercise. I am not advising you to start running a marathon. That takes months and years of practice, but a simple exercise such as walking. Many neighbourhoods have what are called walking clubs. Where a group of people get together over the weekend and take long walks. Find some in your area, if there isn’t one, this is a great opportunity to start a walking club. The easiest way to find a walking club in your neighbourhood is to search on Facebook.
When you go shopping, don’t look for the spot closest to the entry. Park your car a comfortable distance away from the entry, enjoy your walk. Take the stairs instead of the escalators and the elevators.
Why do you feel “happier” after exercising? There is a simple scientific explanation for this. While you exercise your body releases endorphins, these are the feel-good hormones in your body. As the endorphins enter your bloodstream, the chemical reaction makes you feel better, and your brain reacts by feeling better.
I want you to distinguish between exercise that burns calories and that which makes you feel good.
Cleaning the house, mopping the floors is an exercise that burns calories, but it isn’t exercised to make you feel good. Continue to clean your house, and do your dishes, but equally important make that brisk walk in the garden, the simple jog around the park a part of your life, these small activities that you do for yourself release these elusive endorphins that make you feel happier.
You must have heard of the term “runner’s high”, this is that feeling of joy and happiness that runner feels after having exercised. Whether you swim, run, weight train, the release of the endorphins into your bloodstream give you that runner’s high. When your exercise crosses over from aerobic to an anaerobic state the runner’s high is created. If you don’t want to be confused with technical terms such as aerobic and anaerobic exercise, just think that you need to exercise vigorously to achieve that state of happiness.
Remember exercising whether it is simply walking or training for a triathlon reduces anxiety, and that reduction of anxiety results in happiness. Physically active people have a sense of achievement in achieving their goals leading to happiness. The goal can be as simple as walking 15 minutes without stopping or achieving so much distance in so much time. Exercise is exceptionally beneficial for those who have a problem with sleeping at night.
Exercising is a diversion from negative thinking and negative thoughts, the absence of negative thoughts in the brain leads to happiness.
When I started out, my goal was to walk five times a week and building up stamina to walk to 60 minutes each day without taking a break. As the weeks and months went by, the distance I covered in 60 minutes has increased. You can also build your stamina. Go for it!
In my private practice, exercise is worth it to lead happiness. I have learnt that everyone wants and needs to be happy. You too can be Happy!
BY: Dr. Prerna Kohli
The Psychological Benefits of Exercise
Psychological Benefits of Exercise is the value of exercise on the body is well known, you can lose weight, or if you so desire you can gain weight, you lose fat, you can gain muscle, and your body appears to look fitter and healthier, earning you admiration and attention.
What is not well known is the psychological benefits of exercise. Below is a brief list of the psychological benefits on your mind of exercise:
- The mood gets enhanced
- Stress reduction, and the ability to handle stress better
- Self-esteem improves, this happens because of the sense of achievement of being able to do something such as 100 push-ups or running for 26 kilometers, also as the body becomes fitter the feeling of well-being enhances
- The joy and positivity of increased physical fitness
- Enhanced self-worth
- Improved body image
- Increase in energy to be able to do day to day tasks
- Confidence increase
Depression and feelings of being low are reduced by exercising. So exercise regularly for 10 weeks (at least 3-5 times each week) to see the symptoms of depression reduce drastically. Research has shown that regular exercise can help give your mood a boost. Several recent studies suggest that; whether you lift weights or go for a run, working out can help reduce anxiety and improve overall mental health. So if you are feeling low, depressed, sad or just unhappy go for a brisk walk, jog or lift some weights.
It is found that; bodybuilders, and fitness experts, tend to abuse their body less with drugs and alcohol compared to the general public. They also tend to eat healthier. But, the moment an individual starts to indulge in steroids to enhance their muscle growth, a new set of psychological problems arise. Around poor body image and low self-esteem, which need to be addressed.
Interestingly, the general public has this belief that a man or a woman with a “gym” body has lower IQ and are dismissive of their intellectual capabilities, while in fact, the reverse is most likely true. Research shows that cardiovascular exercise can increase brain cells, and a tough workout with weights increases a brain protein associated with decision making, higher thinking, and learning. Research also shows that working increases the memory power of the brain.
Post-exercise the individual is rewarded by a hormone called dopamine, the reward hormone, and dopamine provides a natural high, therefore reducing or eliminating the need to do illegal drugs or alcohol.
Gym goers sleep well, hence are less addicted to sleeping pills, and are less restless at night and sleep well.
Working out and going to the gym, whether for cardio or weights, will have positive effects far beyond the gym and looking better with or without your clothes on. Thus, by working out you can have an increase in self-confidence, positive mind frame and a smart thinking. There is no reason for not exercising on a regular basis.
