Being physically active will bring a smile to your face!

Sports enthusiasts everywhere are highly aware of the positive effects physical activity has on their mood. For many, there is simply nothing better to help control stress and bring a smile to their face after a hard day’s work. Endurance activities such as walking briskly, swimming, biking, and cross country skiing, have the most notable effects on one’s mood. People who perform their favourite sports on a regular basis also seem to reap the most benefits.

In fact, numerous studies have already demonstrated the strong link between physical activity and lower anxiety, which lasts at least two hours after exercising. This is why it is recommended that people who suffer from depression and other mood disorders be more physically active. It can also help them become more socially involved.

Yet, we do not know exactly why exercising makes people feel more relaxed. American researchers are currently conducting experiments on mice that could give them a greater understanding of the positive effects physical exercise has on people’s moods. By using the same mechanism of action, they hope to eventually develop more effective medications to treat depression.

For now however, the exercise pill does not yet exist. To take advantage of all the benefits that come with being physically active such as improving cardiovascular health, having healthier bones, maintaining a healthy body weight, decreasing bouts of insomnia, increasing self esteem, to name a few, you should include physical exercise in your daily routine. Make it a priority in your life and do not tell yourself you will get to it once all of your other chores are taken care of, because it will be too late in the evening. Exercise will give you the energy you need to accomplish all of your daily activities. Do yourself a favour, find an activity that makes you happy and use it as a relaxation technique. So go ahead, make yourself happy!