As life becomes increasingly stressful, anxiety and mood disorders become more common, and finding effective strategies for managing emotions is paramount. While therapy and medication are essential for many individuals, the field of exercise physiology offers a natural and empowering approach to emotional well-being.
What is emotion regulation?
“Emotion regulation” is a term for a person’s ability to deal with and respond to emotional events in a healthy way. Many times a day, people automatically manage their emotions to handle challenging situations. Most of us can manage our emotions in different situations to satisfy environmental demands. Some are healthy, others not.
Participating in a walking program is an example of a healthy technique for dealing with anxiety that won’t hurt anyone. They have the ability to defuse intense sensations and provide insight into the factors that contribute to those sentiments. [1]
Why does exercise make us feel better?
Would you believe that people who exercise often find that exercise can improve their mood? Not only that, your ability to concentrate, and your level of awareness can all benefit from exercise. It even has the potential for a more optimistic life. Exercise has a profound impact on our physical, mental, and emotional well-being, leading to an overall sense of feeling better.
We know that physical activity increases the amount of blood flowing to all parts of the body, including the brain. So that the body gets more oxygen and nutrients to the brain, this is what is believed to make better emotions.
Also when you do exercise you can be distracted from negative things. A positive diversion from the stresses of everyday life and negative thoughts can be found in the form of healthy physical exercise. In addition, regular exercise promotes relaxation by relieving built-up tension in the muscles and promotes an overall feeling of physical and mental well-being.
If you are someone who likes to do things together with relatives or friends, you can do exercises such as taking fitness classes, playing in sports teams, or participating in other activities that require group activities. This way you get the benefits of not only being healthy and mentally awake, but you can often engage in social contact.
Humans are social creatures, so when you make social contact, you will have a lot of contact with humans. Friendships and other forms of human connection help foster a sense of belonging, which in turn can improve one’s mood and reduce feelings of isolation. But remember, choose an environment that will make you better.
Some people may not have made physical activity a regular part of their schedule. And maybe you are one of them. You may wonder how much time you should exercise to improve your mental health.
The good news is that physical activity doesn’t have to be tiring or time-consuming to be beneficial. According to some studies, you only need to exercise at a low or moderate level for it to affect your mood and way of thinking.
For example, small walks or participating in exercises such as yoga or stretching can also have significant positive effects on your body and mind. Basically, any kind of physical activity is better than none.
But if your mentality calls for serious action, there’s nothing wrong with seeking help from a psychologist.
“Keep taking time for yourself until you are you again.” — Lalah Delia
[1] Cornell Research Program on Self-Injury and Recovery