Top Ten Reasons to Exercise your BODY and MIND

1. Reduce Stress: Stress is part of everyday life. There's no avoiding it but plenty of ways to cope and reduce it.

Exercise increases the concentration of a chemical called norepinephrine. This chemical moderates the brains response to stress and boosts body's ability to cope with existing mental tension.

2. Feel HAPPY: Exercise boosts happy chemicals and releases endorphins (serotonin) which create feelings of happiness and euphoria. In some cases, exercise can be just as effective as anti-depressant pill.

3. Improve Self Confidence: What initially starts out as an intention to look good suddenly results in a FEEL good factor too. Exercise elevates a person’s perception and self-image.

4. Prevent Cognitive Decline: As we age brains get a little hazy, while exercise can't cure diseases like Alzheimer's or dementia, it can help protect the brain against the cognitive decline that begins after age 45. Work out between ages of 25-45 and boost the chemicals in brains hypothalamus. (Memory and learning)

5. Boost Brain Power: Cardiovascular exercise has been shown to create new brain cell (neurogenesis). It improves overall brain performance by increasing brain-derived neurotrophic factor - BDNF - brain protein. This helps with decision making, sharper memory, and higher thinking power.

6. Help Control Addiction: Dopamine is the "reward" chemical that keeps addicts going back for more. When you exercise, the body releases dopamine giving addicts the same kick without the harmful substance (food, alcohol, cigarette).

7. Sleep Better: Exercising 5-6 hours before bed raises the body's core temperature when the temperature drops this signals the body that it's time to sleep.

8. Boost Creativity: Exercise has been shown to boost creativity for up to 2 hours after exercise. By exercising outdoors with nature it refreshes the body and mind.

9. Distraction from Worries: Exercise gives your head a break from negative thinking and anxiety by acting as a distraction. It takes your mind away from the cycle of negative thinking which normally feeds anxiety and depression.

10. Healthy Coping Strategy: Physical activity helps manage stress in a healthful manner rather than turning to the bottle, fridge or tobacco.

Here’s to empowering one another to become powerful beyond measure and beautiful beyond
description.

Special article written by our wellbeing expert, Jen Feighery. You can find more tips at jinga.life and at jenfeighery .ie