A Simple Way to Feel Better

An old acquaintance of mine who is in the military recently shared an insight on Facebook as to what has helped him become a calmer, happier, kinder person. This particular practice, he said, has proven more effective than any single method he had previously tried. So what is it? Drumroll please...

Exercise.

(Ok, I can practically see some of you rolling your eyes, having just read that. Bear with me.) Granted, the person I'm referring to indicated that his daily regime involves being pushed to physical exhaustion every day; and while that might be plausible for a person in the military, it's certainly less so for most of us. I'll go out on a limb and say it's also not really desirable for most of us. (It isn't for me, I'll tell you that.) Nevertheless, his insight -- the positive effects of exercise on one's mental health -- is valid for everyone.

Now, this isn't necessarily news to you, I'm sure. You've probably encountered a veritable media mountain of articles, news stories, and advertisements concerning the benefits of exercise. I'm throwing my hat in the ring, though, because I can tell you from personal experience that it's very, very true: physical exercise has a hugely positive impact on a person's mental health. Most of the stuff we read focuses on exercise's physical benefits, and maybe mentions mental health benefits as an afterthought or aside. No. I'm going to say that physical exercise has at least as important an impact on mental health as it does on physical health. It's that powerful an influence. (Need further proof? Exercise is often "prescribed" as a behavioral component of mental health therapy.)

Physical exercise can come in many forms. In other words, you don't have to join a gym, and you don't have to push yourself to exhaustion, to get its benefits. In fact, I've seen plenty of articles which suggest that even ten minutes of continuous, moderate physical activity can improve a person's mood. "Moderate activity" can mean a lot of different things. It can be achieved in things as simple and routine as a walk around the neighborhood or the grocery store or the mall, or in cleaning a room of your home. And of course, it can also be achieved via activities which are more traditionally thought of as "exercise," such as playing a sport, doing yoga, hiking, biking, jogging, swimming, etc.

I don't really like giving advice, per se, but I'm going to do it anyway: do something you enjoy. For me, I love taking walks, for example. I can't tell you how many times a simple, short walk has helped me gain clarity, relax, and simply feel better. I started with walking, and gradually have picked up several other activities I enjoy. It might sound simple, but for me, for whatever reason, it took me awhile to grasp it: I'm much more likely to exercise with regularity if I do something I enjoy. So it's a double benefit, you know? Doing a physical activity you enjoy will bring you immediate, positive feedback; and when you've completed it, you'll have the additional benefits of knowing you've done well by both your body and mind.

Have a good one!