The conversation around exercise and it’s impact on physical health has been going on for decades. People are pretty well aware that engaging in exercise has numerous benefits on physical health including:

• Helping you reach or maintain a healthy weight 
• Building muscle
• Lowering your cholesterol
• Reducing your risk for cardiovascular disease
• Regulating blood sugar and insulin levels
• Strengthening your bones to help reduce the risk of fractures and falls

What’s seldom talked about (and what we’re taught very little about, if at all, in school) is the profoundly positive impact physical activity has on your mental health. Research shows that not only can exercise reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and ADHD, it can also enhance the well-being of those who are already mentally healthy. 

One highly noted benefit of exercise is the boost in mood it can provide for those who engage. This natural mood boost can be explained by a few factors:

1. First, exercise decreases stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. Since stress can be accompanied by a wide range of mental and physical symptoms including worry, irritability, insomnia, aches, pains, and a weak immune system, the benefits of this are far-reaching. In addition to improving your mood, reducing feelings of stress can help eliminate unhealthy behaviors people often engage in, in an attempt to find relief. This could include gambling, excessive drinking, overeating, and using drugs, among many other behaviors. Overall, this can have profound effects on people who struggle with anxiety and depression by alleviating a variety of symptoms that often accompany those disorders
2. Exercise also increases your endorphins, which are your body’s “feel good” chemicals.  This contributes to an enhancement in mood by providing a sense of euphoria and optimism, often referred to as a “high.” This is because the endorphins act as an analgesic, meaning that they diminish the perception of pain. They even bind to the same neuron receptors in the brain that some pain medications bind to. But what’s great about this “high” is that it’s completely natural, and doesn’t lead to addiction or dependence as other pain medications can.
3. A third way exercise enhances your mood is by increasing the brain’s dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin levels. In addition to boosting your mood, an increase in serotonin can help improve your appetite and sleep cycles, both of which are often negatively impacted by depression and anxiety. An increase in dopamine contributes to improved sleep patterns and appetite as well, and also impacts muscle movement, memory, concentration, and self-control – factors that are especially beneficial for people with ADHD.