7 simple tips to boost your mood by getting physical

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Manage stress

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Can getting physical improve your mental health? You bet! In addition to improving your physical health, exercise can relieve stress, improve your mood and gives you a break from everyday worries. Make the most of this powerful mood enhancer with these seven simple tips.

Studies show that physical activity can help boost your mood, alleviate anxiety and even reduce symptoms of depression. Here’s how exercise can help improve your mental health:

Feel more relaxed and positive due to the endorphins (hormones) released while you exercise
Get a positive distraction from worries and anxieties.
Your brain is able to digest information, solve problems and engage in creativity while you sweat, stretch and pump.
Boost your self-image and appearance as you control your weight and tone up your muscles.
Improve the quality of your sleep for increased vitality.

7 exercise tips to boost your mood

To reap the powerful beneficial effects of exercise, follow these tips:

Aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day.
Exercise at least five days a week.
Do something you enjoy to get motivated and keep exercising.
Include some endorphin-producing, moderate intensity aerobic exercises.
Invite a friend to exercise with you.
Experiment with different types of exercise and different activities to find the ones that help you the most.
Try keeping an exercise/mood journal to track your state of mind before and after sweat sessions.

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References

Statistics Canada. Stress and depression in the employed population. website
Heywood Vivian H. Advanced Fitness Assessment and Exercise Prescription. 4th ed. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2002.
Public Health Agency of Canada. website
Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute. website

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