Being physically active can have a profound effect on your mental and physical health. It can improve brain health, help maintain a healthy weight, reduce the risk of diseases, strengthen bones and muscles, and enhance the ability to perform daily activities. Studies have shown that people who exercise regularly have better mental health and emotional well-being, and lower rates of mental illness. Physical activity has many scientifically proven mental health benefits.
These benefits are outlined in the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans and include improved brain health and cognitive function, a decrease in the risk of anxiety and depression, and improved sleep and overall quality of life. Although it is not a cure-all, increasing physical activity directly contributes to improving mental health and overall health and well-being. Regular exercise can have a significant positive impact on depression, anxiety, and ADHD. It also reduces stress, improves memory, helps you sleep better, and boosts overall mood. You don't need to be an exercise enthusiast to take advantage of the benefits.
Research shows that even moderate amounts of exercise can make a real difference. Regardless of your age or fitness level, you can learn to use exercise as a powerful tool to treat mental health problems, increase energy levels and attitude, and get more out of life. Additionally, another importance of physical fitness is that it helps improve social relationships. The presidential executive order that re-established the Presidential Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition explicitly seeks to “broaden national awareness of the importance of mental health when it comes to physical fitness and nutrition”. This is because physical activity reduces the risk of fatal diseases and counteracts their spread if and when they occur. Young people who participate in sports can enjoy psychosocial health benefits beyond the benefits they get from other forms of physical activity during leisure time.
Going for a leisurely walk or doing activities such as stretching and yoga can also have tremendous benefits for the mind and body. One of the main advantages of physical activity is that it increases life expectancy by reducing the risk of injury and making you less susceptible to potentially life-threatening diseases. It also helps you save an immense amount of money. A recent study conducted in the United Kingdom found that people who reduce their exercise routines to one or two sessions over the weekend get almost as many health benefits as those who exercise more frequently. In conclusion, physical activity has numerous well-established mental health benefits. It can improve brain health, help maintain a healthy weight, reduce the risk of diseases, strengthen bones and muscles, improve social relationships, increase life expectancy, reduce the risk of injury, make you less susceptible to potentially life-threatening diseases, relieve stress, improve memory, help you sleep better, improve overall mood, save money, and get more out of life.
