It's only natural that you should exercise regularly for your physical health. Exercise is effective not only for physical health but also for mental health.
"Not exercising is like taking medication that causes depression."
Said Harvard University's Tal Ben Shahar.
Certainly, a little exercise will alleviate the symptoms of depression. So I got hooked on running.
Light exercise for about 20 minutes is effective!
According to a study by the University of Illinois, light exercise such as walking or walking for about 20 minutes activated brain activity and improved happiness .
So, I'll change into a batch jersey, do some preparatory exercises, run hard, go to the gym, and set a new record for the bench press! Even if it's not an exercise that is so enthusiastic, it's OK to say "a little walk to a supermarket in the neighborhood while shopping" or "go to a convenience store a little far away, go to the library and wander around". is.
Even if you are a person who is tired of starting something from now on due to lack of exercise, it is quite good at this level. Even if you walk a little and sweat a little, it has an antidepressant effect, and even on the day when you say "It's kind of annoying today", your brain function will improve and your happiness will increase.
Then, what happens to the brain with light exercise for about 20 minutes is that four substances in the brain are secreted and have a positive effect. What are the four
・ BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) = a substance that nurtures the brain
・ Dopamine = improves cognition and attention
・ Noradrenaline = a substance that enhances mood
・ Serotonin = antidepressant effect
These substances in the brain are also called happiness hormones, which increase happiness and improve the mood of pounding, so motivation! energy! Is coming out.
Do I have to get into the habit of exercising? Just do it in the morning and you'll feel better all day
I know that exercise is good for your brain and increases your happiness, but it's a well-known fact that you should exercise regularly, but "But it's effective even if you don't get into the habit, right? So, it seems that the research was done.
The University of Pennsylvania has tested how exercise can change happiness.
The content of the test was divided into four groups: a group with and without regular exercise, a group with and without exercise on the morning of the test.
As a result of the test, in descending order of happiness
1st place: Group who exercised regularly and exercised in the morning of the test
2nd place: Group who did not exercise regularly and exercised in the morning of the test
3rd place: Exercised regularly , Group who did not exercise in the morning of the test
4th place: Group who did not exercise regularly and did not exercise in the morning of the test
have become.
I think the 1st and 4th places are pretty good, but the surprising ones are the 2nd and 3rd places.
Even if you don't exercise regularly, you'll find that exercising in the morning will increase your happiness, which means that "exercise is good for your brain even if you're not habitual", do your best. Even if you don't continue, it will be effective for your mental health! Isn't this really good! ??
There are things like a little gloomy morning or "I don't like working at a meeting today". At such times, just exercising a little will make you feel better, so you should do this.
By the way, I don't feel good almost every morning, but when I do light exercises and stretching, my mood improves and I feel like "I should do my best today."
By the way, focusing on the health of your mind, you can do "light exercise for about 20 minutes", so if you say "I want to lose weight!" Or "Eliminate metabolic syndrome!" You should study various things such as aerobic exercise and dietary restrictions, of course.
Well, if you get into the habit of exercising even if it's not regular, it's better than doing nothing. I also want to lose weight!