While any exercise can be used to improve your mental health, weight training, swimming, and cycling seem to be popular activities that have been shown to improve your mental health significantly.

Date:   11/14/2022 4:32:20 AM ( 24 mon ago)

It has been said by many that regular exercise aids in your mental health. It is true. Daily exercise has been shown to aid in managing depression, anxiety, and stress, boost overall mood, and lessen cognitive issues. This is because physical activity affects the brain direction by increasing blood circulation and producing Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, or BDNF. This protein is located in the brain that helps memory, learning, and thinking.

While any exercise can be used to improve your mental health, weight training, swimming, and cycling seem to be popular activities that have been shown to improve your mental health significantly.

Weight Training

Weight training is a type of resistance training to improve your physical strength. The benefits may vary depending on the person, but weight training can aid your mental health in many ways.

The first benefit is that it improves your overall mood. This happens in many ways, one being as simple as committing to a goal, sticking to a workout routine, and building habits. It also helps because endorphins are released as you strength train.

Weight training can also help in strengthening your mind and body connection. This is because when you are lifting heavy, there is a level of risk involved which is why it is essential to be aware of how your body responds as you lift. Another benefit is that your anxiety and stress will lessen. As you weight train, your stress hormone, known as cortisol, lowers, lessening your stress and any anxiety you may be suffering from. 

Swimming

Researchers have determined that swimming also promotes physical and mental well-being. There are many ways you can swim, whether at a beach, putting in your affordable pools at your home, or going to a community pool. Either way, the benefits are the same. 

Just like with other activities, swimming releases endorphins and serotonin. The release of both of these hormones gives a sense of happiness and positivity. Researchers have also found that when your endorphins and serotonin are flowing regularly, it profoundly impacts your overall mental health and will, in turn, help your body respond better to stress.

Other benefits of swimming would be that it can help keep your mind off of things that may be overwhelming. Your mind is occupied by focusing on your breathing pattern as you swim and how many laps you have done. You could also focus on your technique and speed as you swim laps. All this makes it difficult to focus on anything else that may worry you outside of the water.

There is also something known as the "Blue Mind," which is associated with water-related calm and peace. It shows that humans are naturally drawn to the color blue, which leads to a feeling of peace and wellness when you are around bodies of water. This means that when we are around water, we have an immediate positive response in our brains.

Cycling

One of the most accessible and convenient activities you can do to improve your mental health is cycling. It is most popular if you live in the city since it is a great way to travel. Along with the convenience, there is also the fact that cycling is beneficial to your mental health.

Along with improving your mood, cycling regularly promotes better sleep. This is because riding a bike synchronizes your circadian rhythm and reduces your levels of stress hormones which will help regulate sleep. 

It has also been shown that cycling improves memory because it helps build new brain cells responsible for memory. It can also enhance your creative thinking since the repeated cycling movement relaxes your brain, stabilizing your mental and physical function.

Whether you decide to weight train, swim, or cycle, you choose an excellent activity to promote your mental well-being. 

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