Exercise I find never fails to lead to an improved mood, peace of mind and mental state. Provided you exercise without pushing yourself beyond what your body can handle and aside from potential next day soreness - which in itself is often a good pain - the great thing about exercise is that there are no negative side effects.
Exercise is far from just being about changing our exterior, ‘slimming down’ or ‘toning up’. It is proven that exercise brings about chemical changes in our bodies. By releasing endorphins into our bloodstreams we, put quite simply, come out the other end feeling fantastic.
Exercise can cover anything from hitting the gym, going for a morning run through Jesmond Dene or practising some home yoga
Life as a university student can get very busy. It can get stressful and overwhelming and at times it may feel like it is getting hard to cope. Using exercise as therapy can help improve your mental health and wellbeing. Exercise can cover anything from hitting the gym, going for a morning run through Jesmond Dene, practising some home yoga from the myriad youtube videos online or simply getting in your 10,000 steps a day walking to and from campus. Walking, jogging, running - the power of moving and of getting your daily dose of fresh air is unparalleled.
A huge benefit of exercise is that whilst lifting those weights, squatting that squat or holding that plank, your brain and body are so entirely focussed on the strenuous activity at hand that they simply don’t have time to think about that deadline, meeting with your tutor or the meal-prep you have to do when you get home.
A little bit of exercise a day keeps the stress away so get moving, get those endorphins released and start to take control of your health
It’s a time to escape from the pressures of a constantly beeping phone, dinging reminders and endless responsibilities. Another huge plus is that you can exercise as much or as little as you want, and whenever you want, it’s completely up to you and your schedule.
You don’t need a fancy gym membership, or excess hours in the day to make exercise your therapy. I say, a little bit of exercise a day keeps the stress away so get moving, get those endorphins released and start to take control of your health, keep that mental health balanced and feel your self-esteem boost.