How Does Exercising Make You Feel Happier?

Happiness may be subjective. But many people can increase their happiness through one very simple activity – exercise. If you want to improve your overall quality of life and be happy, the good news is that you can take action and see improvement. Exercise increases your overall health and wellness, but also provides endorphins that make you feel happy in the short term as well as in the long term. Endorphins are the only “feel-good” chemicals released through exercising though. Your body will also produce serotonin, norepinephrine, BDNF, and dopamine, the reward chemical. All of which have huge positive benefits for the mind. The bottom line: the combination of these five chemicals will boost your mood, and have been proved to help to relieve both anxiety and depression. 

Hard to find time to make exercise a part of your life? Many people struggle here just like you. But there are simple actions you can take to get your heart pumping and your happiness levels boosted. Here are some thoughts to get you started.  

A Walk Today and a Run Tomorrow 

Staying healthy while working full time can feel like a real challenge for people who find themselves sitting at a desk all day. A quick run to the gym rarely seems to fit into our already overloaded schedules. But surprisingly enough, you don’t need to spend an hour doing cross-fit to make a big improvement in your health and happiness. Something as simple as a 5-minute walk can do you a world of good. From there, you can scale up. If you are comfortable with a 30-minute walk, try incorporating some jogging in. Once you’ve found your pace with a jog, step it up to a run. Before you know it, you’ll be marathon ready.  

Join a Class (But Pay in Advance) 

If you’re the sort of person who feels motivated when surrounded by other people, an exercise class is a great way to build some accountability (and socialization) into your routine. A bonus is that many classes allow you to pre-pay for several sessions. This makes you accountable both from a social perspective and from a financial perspective. The last thing you’d want to do is waste money, so you might as well go! You’ll feel great when you do. 

Make It Competitive 

Speaking of motivation, sometimes a little competition can do what you need to keep your head in the game. Rather than just going to the gym, join a recreational league in a sport you enjoy. Soccer or touch football are both great exercises. Tennis is perfect for those who aren’t into contact sports. If you can make it a game, you can make it about more than exercising. It’s fun and will boost your mood. Team sports are great exercise and social, so you get double the mood-boosting effects.  

We’re all about making sure our clients are happy here at Happy Faces Records Management. For more tips on how we can make your life easier and happier, ask about our records management and disposal services. You’ll be glad you did. 

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