Our writer Marcie never expected an on-a-whim fitness goal would completely shift her entire mindset.
In this article, she explores how regular movement, whether it’s a short daily walk, a gym session, or an outdoor adventure can boost mood, reduce stress, and enhance overall wellbeing. Backed by her own personal experience, she delves into the unexpected mental benefits of exercise and why making movement a habit is one of the best things you can do for your brain.
By Marcie B.
Over Christmas, my Dad and I set ourselves the challenge of climbing Mount Toubkal, North Africa's highest peak, this summer. My Dad, having climbed Mount Kilimanjaro a few years ago, made it very clear that I would need to train in preparation for this, and we worked out an exercise plan over the coming months.
A month into exercising (which involves walking 30 minutes every day on an incline and using the stepper at the gym), I noticed a vast improvement in my mental wellbeing, sleep, confidence, and self-esteem.
We all know the benefits that keeping active has on our bodies physically. Still, given that I felt so much better mentally, I decided to look into the impact exercise has on our mental wellness. Most people who exercise regularly do it because it makes them feel good.
Do a quick Google on ’10 minutes of exercise a day’ and you’ll find articles and scientific studies saying that it can have a massive effect on our physical and mental health. The impact of this can be felt in a number of ways:
Exercise stimulates the levels of chemicals in the brain, such as serotonin, stress hormones, and endorphins, making you feel happier, more relaxed, and less anxious.
Exercise can boost your mood, focus, and alertness and help give you a positive outlook. It provides an outlet for any pent-up tension, helps alleviate symptoms of depression, and boosts overall mental resilience.
Exercise can make you feel better about your appearance, which can boost your self-confidence and improve your self-esteem. This can give you a more positive outlook on life.
Exercise boosts energy; it sends oxygen and nutrients to your bodily tissues and helps your cardiovascular system work more efficiently. This, in turn, gives you more energy to tackle daily life.
Exercise promotes better quality sleep.
I was very surprised to discover how much supporting information there is online these days and we have so much more access to support from life coaches to free apps we can download to help motivate us to improve our mental wellbeing through exercise.
The goal of climbing a mountain may have kick-started my training to get in shape physically however I underestimated the positive impact it had on my overall wellness! I'm pleased to say that I now recognise this and exercise will always be an important part of my life in order to feel a sense of happiness.
Give it a try, work on some exercise good for your brain, your mental wellbeing will thank you!!
By Marcie B.