When people think of exercise, they tend to think about the benefits it has on a person’s physical health. However, exercise is beneficial to your mental health as well. This is because physical health and mental health are linked. The status of your physical health affects the state of your mental health and vice versa. So, if you are looking to make a positive impact on your mental health, you should start exercising more often.

The benefits of exercise on mental health

Exercise helps with a wide variety of psychological problems such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, PTSD, etc. It can improve your sleep, your memory, and your mood. Exercise can also be an effective treatment for milder forms of depression. It also helps relieve stress by easing the tension in your muscles and releasing endorphins in your brain. Exercise has been found to improve attention in people with ADHD. The positive impact of training on mental health is undeniable.

How much should you exercise?

Harvard suggests that doctors prescribe 30 minutes of moderate exercise or 15 minutes of intense exercise a day. However, the important thing is that you get any exercise at all, even if it is not much. If you are not used to exercising, you should exercise only a little at first and work your way up to lengthier and more intense routines. You should still get the same benefits from even a tiny amount of exercise.

Where to exercise?

Exercise wherever you feel most comfortable. If you are most at peace at the park, you should exercise there. You do not even have to leave your home to exercise. It can all be done in your living room. Exercise is supposed to help your brain relax, and it can not do that if your social anxiety is making you feel stressed out about being watched at the gym or your agoraphobia makes you afraid to leave home. You can combine exercise with other mental health treatments, too. If you are agoraphobic, for instance, you could exercise outside to get exposure therapy from training as well.