Much has been written on the subject of happiness. We find happiness in our families, friends, nature, a cup of coffee, sleeping in, or any number of things. On the other hand, sometime we’re going through a period where we feel unhappy, and stress may be to blame. With advances in technology and busier lifestyles, stress can be higher than ever. But the good news is that there are ways to combat stress, that can also benefit you other ways.
One of the best ways to reduce stress is to exercise regularly. Scientific evidence proves that once we start to
move our bodies during the action of exercise endorphins are released. Endorphins are hormones that effect our state of mind in a super positive way. As a Fitness Instructor teaching classes for over 25 years I can honestly say that every single time I lead a class my students’ moods change drastically from when we begin to when we are finished. It’s as if a light has gone on and they are happier, more light hearted, glowing and less stressed!
Another great result that exercise gives us is that it will, over time help us look and feel better. So when we start to see the changes within our physical bodies improve and then notice better moods and greater confidence we know that we are experiencing the results of a consistent exercise.
If we add a few hours a week of workouts (3-6) we can also look forward to better and higher quality sleep. Nothing is worse than fatigue and low energy that comes from restless nights and inability to either fall or stay asleep. Feeling refreshed and rested are integral parts of overall happiness.
Finally, getting our weekly fitness in will help us make better food choices because we will be feeling better about ourselves. We can lose weight as well as body fat and increase lean body mass and muscles.
So, bottom line – a simple exercise program might be just what we need to boost our moods and get us to a happier state of mind so let’s get going and get our sweat session going!
