When it comes to mental health, staying active through exercise can be an extreme mood booster.
When you’re physically active, it not only improves your overall health, but also improves your mental state. It’s no secret that daily life can get stressful. Between work, school, and at-home chores, it can feel like you never get a break.
Making time for exercise, whether it’s ten minutes or an hour, can change your mood for the entire day. Working out gives your mind a break from the stress of day-to-day life. In these lively moments, it’s you vs. you. There’s no pressure to get good grades, report for shifts, or take out the trash. It also helps your physical health. Your time spent exercising is not only time to focus on yourself and relieve stress, but time spent keeping you in shape.
With that being said, teachers need quiet time of their own. Teaching all day can induce stress, and giving yourself the time away to get exercise in, can improve your whole day.
“My daily runs are my quiet time. I love just getting out there and doing it for myself as a way to get away from stress and be by myself. It helps me maintain my weight and keep my head straight,” said FCHS gym teacher Bryan Searcy.
Although regular exercise has a myriad of benefits, getting into the routine of daily exercise can be challenging. However, it’s important to persevere and keep at it, as you’ll feel accomplished and relieved. Motivation is something that may not come easy to everyone. Your mood can differ depending on the day and you may not feel like getting active. However, it’s important to push through to get your body going.
“When I’m doing it, it can feel hard, but when I’m finished it’s such a good feeling. I always feel so much better after I get a workout in, even when I don’t have the greatest motivation that day,” Searcy continued.
Contrary to the positive outlook on daily fitness, some feel as if working out isn’t worth the effort. You may feel unmotivated, or as if exercise doesn’t actually have as many benefits as everyone says. However, the rumors are true; getting an exercise in a day improves dopamine levels more than you would think. According to Healthline, dopamine levels better regulate when you do physical activities. Exercise not only stimulates the body, but also stimulates the brain.
Along with stimulating the brain, it gives your mind a peaceful break. It lets you relax and take a load off so that you can think straight no matter the day or situation.
“Working out gives me peace of mind. It’s an escape and takes my mind off things. I used to hate working out but once I got into the hang of it, I couldn’t imagine not doing it. It genuinely boosts my mood every time,” said FCHS sophomore student Kaiya Wrigley.
Overall, working out is a go-to option for releasing endorphins to make your happiness an all time high. Crushing a good workout is a great opportunity to get a sense of accomplishment. It’s a natural mood booster and a way to relieve the stress from your hectic day-to-day life. If you struggle with motivation, think about how good it will feel after you complete a workout. It doesn’t have to be an hour-long weight-lifting session, sometimes all it takes is a ten minute walk outside.
