Does exercising really make you happy and how?
Exercise can increase happiness through the following three mechanisms:
- Exercise causes the release of a happiness substance called Endorphins. This chemical helps relieve muscle tension from stress, raises body temperature, and results in greater relaxation, improving sleep. Additionally, it helps reduce the stress hormone called Cortisol, which is a primary cause of aging.
- Exercise balances the brain chemicals necessary for mood control, resulting in a normal mood.
- Exercise directly affects the mind by
- boosting self-confidence, making you feel capable, and motivating you to continue.
- diverting attention away from stressful thoughts. Focusing on physical sensations, body positioning, and movement breaks the cycle of stress-inducing repetitive thinking.
- increasing social interaction. Stress often leads to isolation, which exacerbates stress. Exercising and meeting new people, such as going for a walk in the neighborhood and smiling at passersby, can improve mood.
- serving as an excellent stress management tool for both physical and mental health.
When you’re stressed, you might not want to do anything. How do you motivate yourself to exercise?
- Learn what type of exercise suits you. If you’re unsure, try various activities to find out what you enjoy.
- Set a start date (without a set date, you might keep postponing).
- Inform friends or people around you that you are starting to exercise, making a commitment to yourself.
- Prepare necessary equipment and decide on the location where you will exercise.
- Set both short, medium, and long-term exercise goals.
- Include exercise in your life schedule, similar to work or errands, treating it as a major commitment to self-care.
What should you do if you start to feel lazy or bored after exercising for a while?
- Once you exercise for a while, you will know what obstacles might arise. Regularly review, prevent, and resolve these obstacles. For example, if rain prevents running outside, consider using a treadmill at the gym instead.
- Constantly review your goals, remembering why you exercise, and how it benefits you and your loved ones.
Dr. Amornphich Kittipojanasit
Psychiatry Specialist
License No. 38702
Bangkok Hospital Chiang Mai
Phone: 052-089-865
