The Ultimate Brain Workout!
We all know how physical activity benefits our physical health, but did you realise exercise can also keep you saner and happier? For instance, a decent cardio workout releases natural opioids that reduce the experience of pain and can produce a "natural high". Exercise also stimulates the release of a chemical in the brain called Serotonin. This is actually a low dose of the same chemical that anti-depressant medication acts on to help balance out feelings of anxiety, depression and anger.
By using moderate exercise to burn up toxic hormones left after a day's stress, the quantity and quality of our sleep improves significantly. Over the longer term, we can prevent tension building up and decrease the likelihood of burnout or breakdown. Research has shown that physical activity enhances brain activity, making it a fantastic technique for generating smart and creative solutions to life's challenges.
On top of these great physiological effects, some time out for exercise can give us a way of coping productively when we're under pressure. And, of course, we feel great about ourselves when we can see all of our little achievements along the way. So get into it and "shrink" your mind as well as your waistline!
Article written by Linda Campbell, for Executive Results
www.performwell.com.au
