Does Your Mood Need A Lift?

It’s not unusual for people to feel down occasionally or even worry or feel anxious. Those are the times when your mood could use a lift to get you back on track and feeling good again. Exercise is now used as part of therapy for people with anxiety and depression. If it works as an aid to recovery for those with more severe problems, you can imagine how helpful it will be for help with the occasional funky mood.

Part of the problem comes from stress.

If anxiety is the cause of your problem, it’s probably from stress. It causes the fight or flight reaction. When early man roamed the earth, the fight or flight reaction was important. The body released hormones to help caveman run or fight. Today stress comes from sources like traffic jams or angry bosses, where running or fighting just isn’t appropriate or could cause more problems than just feeling bad. In order to relieve that feeling, working out is a great way to burn off the hormones of stress. It mimics fighting or fighting, burning off the hormones of stress, while you do it.

You’ll boost your mood when you exercise with other hormones.

In addition to burning off the hormones of stress that can leave you feeling bad, exercise also triggers the creation of “happy hormones.” Endorphins and dopamine are just two of those. Dopamine triggers a response in the front of the brain that’s the pleasure or reward center. It makes you feel good. Endorphins trigger a good feeling and help take away physical pain. It’s responsible for the runner’s high.

You’ll boost your energy level and feel good about yourself when you exercise regularly.

After a few weeks of working out, you’ll simply feel good and have tons more energy. Having extra energy can do a lot for your mood. You’re not as grumpy and more likely to enjoy being active, rather than sitting out all the fun activities in life. You’re more likely to join in social activities and try new experiences. Taking charge and feeling more fit makes you feel more in control of your life, which is a definite boost to your mood.

• When you workout regularly, you’ll sleep better at night. People who aren’t sleep deprived tend to be happier and in better moods.
• Working out can change your focus and distract you from your problems long enough to change your mood.
• When you exercise and workout regularly, it can help boost your circulation and clear your head. Thinking clearer is often the road to boosting your overall mood.
• Looking good can make you feel good. There’s no doubt about it, working out can put pep in your step, make you look more shapely and even make you look younger. That’s enough to make anyone be in a great mood.