My opinion Why exercise is important for mental health.

Exercise is one of the best things you can do for your body. It is the Body Pillar of the Mind, Body, Spirit sisterhood. We all know the effect that exercise has on our self esteem when we look good and feel powerful, but it has an equally important effect on our mental health. In the world we are living in now, it is easy to feel scared, depressed and powerless. Sometimes it feels like we have no control over what is happening around us and to us.

From political games to constant fear mongering we are inundated daily from outside forces hell bent on making sure we do what we are told. Exercise is one area of our lives that we can control and see positive results in a relatively short time.

It allows us to focus on ourselves and get in the zone. When we get in the zone we calm our central nervous system, and our brain generates alpha waves. This state brings clarity, focus, as well as, feelings of well- being and peace. When you work out at a good intensity, your body releases endorphins which leads to getting in the zone. Those of us who run daily often experience this as a "runner's high" which basically means we are in the zone. It is often described as a sense of euphoria, and a feeling of effortless movement. Our bodies are masters of chemical rewards when we do something that it wants us to do. All we have to do is let go of all the excuses we have for not working out and let our body do the rest. Most of us feel amazing after we work out especially when we aren't feeling it. We feel a sense of accomplishment, pride that we overcame our excuses and are able to enjoy the feelings of well being our bodies give us, for moving one step closer to our goals. Keep up the commitment you made to working out consistently and take back some control. You will never feel regret for moving forward, only if you stand still. Exercise is a cornerstone of mental health and we all need to embrace it now more than ever.