We all know  that exercise is good for  physical health, but we do not pay enough attention to the mental effects that this activity brings. Finding the right kind of sport will be key to reaping the mental rewards of sweating your body. Let’s take a look at 6 sports that can help balance both physical and mental health.

Walk

This is the simplest exercise, the easiest to perform and also not too expensive. Just a 10-minute walk to the park or anywhere you see fit can help relieve your worries, sadness, and other negative moods. Regular walking will help prevent cardiovascular disease , lose weight, increase the flexibility of bones and joints.

The important thing to remember is to move your body the way you feel most comfortable, don’t set too many unattainable goals when you’re just starting out. For extra motivation, invite friends to health apps walking challenges .

Yoga

If you love gentle movement, practice yoga . Yoga exercises help people connect with themselves: start focusing and connecting with the breath, and the body. This is extremely effective because it puts the nervous system into rest and digestion mode (parasympathetic nervous system) and releases the fight-or-flight, anxiety or panic responses.

Yoya does not mean just bending over, or having to be good at yoga to continue practicing yoga. What matters is not how good you are at creating yoga poses, but how you put yourself in poses that make you feel empowered.

Swim

Swimming is a favorite sport activity for those who do not like to sweat too much but still want to keep a balance for their physique. Swimming focuses on timing the breath with movement (similar to yoga).

Research shows that being active in the water improves mental state, elicits positive thoughts . Therefore, this sport is widely recommended for people who have problems with constant mood swings. Swimming also helps reduce pain and stress related disorders.

HIIT exercises

HIIT – High Intensity Interval Exercise aka High Intensity Cardio – will increase stress levels, by increasing cortisol and adrenaline, but as you become more active you will find that your body prefers it. Get used to this, learn to cope, and become more resilient over time.

This also helps in coping with the stress of everyday life. Instead of worrying about life’s problems, focus your energy on achieving the goal you have set for yourself , be it running a little faster or lifting a little heavier.

Cycling

When we are stressed, we often “forget to breathe”. So if you’re having a particularly stressful day, chances are your breathing will become difficult and not deep enough, which will only worsen mental well-being.

To change this state, you need to first regulate your breathing, and focusing on the first breath when  cycling is really important. Then, focus on the goals you set for your cycling session instead of grappling with what’s going on in your head. Negative energy will be transferred to another positive, and you will feel more relaxed.

Dance

Dancing  in general is often associated with a state of cheerfulness. But even if you don’t feel that way, getting into the rhythm can mean mental consistency that builds up as you follow in the footsteps.

With ballet, for example, it not only relieves stress and makes you focus on the present, but it also improves posture and increases self-confidence. Ballet gives beginners a chance to move in ways they’re not used to, providing a great sense of freedom and relaxation.

So how much exercise is good for mental health?

If you can’t exercise 3 times/week, you can start with 1 session/week until your body feels the difference and gradually increase the intensity of the exercise.

Health anxiety has skyrocketed during the pandemic. And it’s motivating to realize that by exercising, we’re doing an important job of supporting our immune systems, helping to control weight gain and keeping our spirits up. stay at home for too long.

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