Exercise and Happiness

There is increasing evidence that exercise is about more than just burning calories – it has benefits across the board on just about every function of our body. It is well known that we sleep better and more deeply if we exercise and our mobility improves when we stay fit – but now there are studies showing that regular exercise lowers stress and improves our mental health as well as our happiness.

One of the conclusions reached during one particular study was that active adults are just as happy as sedentary adults who earned £25,000 more each year has led to the creation of some interesting headlines!

“Exercise makes you happier than money….”

What cannot be disputed is the overall benefit of exercise on our mental well-being.  The biggest boosts have been shown to come from team sports and exercising for 45 minutes 3-5 times per week. That being said, the really important message is that all forms of exercise are associated with an increase in happiness.

This association is thought to be due to changes in the brain and activation of neurotransmitters like serotonin which helps to decrease anxiety and depression… but it is not really just that simple.

We should also consider the “chicken and egg” association between exercise and mental well-being.  Happier people move more and moving more makes you happier.

There is no doubt that there is a close relationship between physical and psychological fitness.  How we feel about ourselves and our relationships and whether we can have a “glass half full” approach to life.  When we believe we can influence our future this will affect the choices we make and the behaviours we engage in – and ultimately this will determine the health of our bodies.

It can all start with just a single step.

Find out more about how we incorporate exercise into our weight loss programme.