(Written by MA Jacqueline Perez-Navarro, The Guardian) – Regular exercise has a positive effect on health, physical, psychological and social relationships, psychological state and people’s quality of life.
Performing regular and regular physical activity has proven to be a very beneficial practice in the prevention, development and recovery of health. Physical exercise, whether short or long, contributes to physical and mental health.
The benefits of physical exercise on mental health.
- It reduces feelings of stress and increases feelings of optimism, euphoria and cognitive flexibility.
- It produces general well-being, as a result of the release of hormones called endorphins that produce the sensation of pleasure.
- It helps self-regulation, so that practicing it reduces emotions such as anger, aggression, nervousness, anxiety and depression.
- It increases self-esteem, achieves pre-set goals (the ability to overcome them is preferred).
- Enhances intellectual performance, thanks to which the flow of oxygen to the brain increases; This improves memory, focus, learning ability and alertness.
- In addition, the feeling of fatigue decreases, so a person feels more energetic, with more ability to work, and rest better.
- In the case of children: the interaction of their bodies with space, such as spatial orientation, visual-motor coordination, memory training, strengthening of the body plan.
With reference to the above, continuous exercise is beneficial to people’s health, both physically and psychologically.
If there are so many benefits, why is it so difficult for us to do physical exercise?
According to a study conducted jointly by the University of British Columbia in Canada and the University of Geneva, Switzerland. Even if you intend to exercise, your mind subconsciously rejects the physical activity.
- has evolved: In the evolution of people, energy conservation was essential to survival, as energy was used to search for food, find shelter, compete for a sexual partner, and avoid predators.
- resolution: In particular, because people have the ability to consciously choose what to do, and even challenge the signals the brain sends, because despite the benefits of physical activity, the brain has an appeal to sedentary behavior.
How do you get started and stay motivated?
A study by Brock University in Canada and published in Medicine & Science in Sports Exercise ensures that the way everyone communicates with themselves can be a key to good athletic performance and greater motivation for competition.
Learn to replace negative thoughts during a workout. Instead of thinking of phrases like “how sexy,” “I’m sweating a lot,” or “I want to go,” change those thoughts with positive thoughts such as: “I feel good” or “I’m training hard.”
The following points may be helpful:
- Find something fun to do. For example: walking, running, cycling, playing soccer or basketball with your children after school. The idea is to start with something that you can enjoy.
- Set reasonable goals. Think realistically about what can be done and start gradually. Don’t pretend to run 60 minutes on the first day, when you’ve never run this way before.
- Don’t think of exercise as an obligation. If it’s seen as a tool to help you feel better, that isn’t an obligation.
- Prepare for setbacks. If you don’t exercise for a day or two, it doesn’t mean you can’t stick to the routine, it’s just about trying again.
Exercises that do not require more financial effort or travel, such as walking, jogging, or doing the daily routine can be done at home. Those with the potential can do so in the gym with a more specialized guide. It is always advisable to undergo a medical evaluation to accommodate the routine. Remember that small goals lead to big goals.
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