5 Simple Exercises to Boost Your Mood and Heart Rate
If you're feeling stressed out, exercise can help you relax. When you work out, your body often feels more relaxed and calm, but there are mental benefits too.
When you exercise, your brain releases endorphins, the 'feel-good' neurotransmitters that reduce pain and boost pleasure, resulting in a feeling of well-being.
Learn how exercise can be beneficial, and which types of exercises are best to help balance your emotions.
How Exercise Can Improve Your Mood?
During high intensity workouts, the body releases chemicals that have a positive impact on mood, memory, energy levels, and sense of well-being.
One of these chemicals is endorphins — also known as the body's feel-good chemical — which can result in the 'runner's high' many joggers talk about.
After a strenuous workout, the muscles feel tired and sore for several hours. However, the endorphins released during the workout can help you feel more relaxed and content.
In addition, you will have a sense of accomplishment, which can boost your self-confidence and improve your sense of well-being. Thanks to your workout, the pent-up tension and stress in your muscles and mind would get reduced.
Best Exercises to Enhance Mood and Heart Rate
Here's a look at five such exercises:
1) Walking
Walking is one of the best exercises for health, as it provides several benefits: toning the legs, easing joint pain, and aiding weight loss. It's free and doesn't take much time or effort to do.
Walking can help relieve stress, as it gives you the time and space to think about your concerns and come up with practical solutions. It also gives you a chance to take a friend with you during your walk, which can provide you some helpful advice in return.
Sunlight is the primary source of vitamin D, which can contribute to low mood. If you enjoy walking, consider joining a walking group, as it's a great way to meet new people.
2) Running
Running is a form of aerobic exercise that can increase your heart rate and improve cognitive function. Running can also be used in ecotherapy to improve mood and relieve anxiety, which is why it can be helpful for people who suffer from depression or anxiety.
Running is a great way to get fit and burn calories. Just head to your local area, and find a park or track.
If you're not into running, don't worry — there are other ways to get the heart pumping.
3) Cycling
During exercise, tryptophan is released into the bloodstream. Tryptophan is converted into serotonin and melatonin, both of which play a key role in controlling the sleep/wake cycle. That means cycling can be a natural way to boost serotonin levels and help you get sleep.
As poor sleep can lead to worrying and stress, and worrying and stress can cause poor sleep, it's beneficial to include cycling in your daily routine.
Cycling is easy to do - you can cycle to work, or go for a ride around your local park.
4) Pilates
Pilates is a form of strengthening exercise that focuses on core strength, which helps improve general fitness and well-being. Pilates has been linked to improving posture, muscle tone, balance and joint mobility.
It has also been found to significantly reduce low mood and anxiety symptoms in people with mental health issues like depression.
If you're interested in Pilates, consider signing up for a class. These programmes are becoming more popular and are available at most gyms. If you're a beginner or if you're shy, you can do Pilates in the comfort of your own home through exercises such as the plank.
5) Tai Chi
Tai Chi is a traditional Chinese exercise that can help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. It can also improve immune function and increase blood levels of feel-good endorphins.
Tai Chi is a gentle martial art that anyone can practice. It's not physically demanding but instead focuses on the form of the movements and your breathing.
Tai Chi has been shown to relieve stress, anxiety, depression, and other mood disturbances.
Takeaway
While there are many other ways to get your heart rate up and boost your mood, the aforementioned basic exercises can help you do just that.
They're easy and accessible, which means you don't need a gym membership or expensive equipment. They can be combined in any number of ways to create a challenging, satisfying workout.
As an added bonus, they can also be scaled up or down depending on your fitness and energy level at the time. That makes them perfect for days when you don't feel like doing a strenuous workout.
Quick Links
Bhargav