Exercise and Mental Health
The benefits of physical exercise are seemingly endless. Not only does it impact one’s overall fitness but exercise also plays a crucial role in nurturing one’s mental wellbeing. Engaging in regular physical activity has been scientifically proven to have a positive impact on mental health by reducing symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress. When we exercise, our brain releases endorphins, which are natural chemicals that boost mood and promote a sense of wellbeing. In addition, exercise enhances cognitive function, boosts self-esteem, and promotes better sleep, all of which are essential to flourishing.
Regular exercise is key, and there is no better time than summer to find the form of exercise that best serves your body. As with anything else, consistency is essential, and we’ve compiled a curated list of resources that can help you pick, and keep, an exercise routine for a happier, healthier summer – and beyond!
FINDING MOVEMENT
Your Brain on Exercise
Radio Headspace
Washington Post Health and Wellness Columnist Gretchen Reynolds talks about how exercising the body can actually improve our cognitive abilities.
Listen to the 5-Minute Podcast
Can Exercise Treat Depression?
SciShow Psych
There are countless reasons to exercise, including the fact that exercise can help to make you feel happier. Curious to learn more? Watch this short video.
What Type of Exercise is Best for Mental Health?
Greater Good Magazine
A new study looks at how exercise can help alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression. But is there a form of exercise that reigns supreme? This article explains.
Move
by Caroline Williams
An eye-opening journey into the power of human movement and how we can harness it to optimize our brain health, boost our mood, and improve every aspect of our lives.
Veteran science journalist Caroline Williams explores the cutting-edge research behind brain health and physical activity, interviewing scientists from around the world to completely reframe our relationship to movement. Along the way, she reveals easy tricks that we could all use to improve our memory, maximize our creativity, strengthen our emotional literacy, and more. A welcome counterpoint to the current mindfulness craze, Move offers a more stimulating and productive way of freeing our caged minds to live our best lives.
ASSESSMENT
Dopamine Driven or Serotonin Strong?
Testosterone, dopamine, estrogen, and serotonin—what do they all have in common? Although traditionally known as neurotransmitters, these four terms are also personality temperaments.
Your temperament is both how you normally behave and the emotions you tend to have. If you’re more testosterone, your temperament may be more analytical. If you’re more dopamine, then you may have a more curious and energetic temperament. Take this assessment to find out which temperaments match you!
