When you complete a great workout or run, how do you feel? Most likely you feel amazing. This is because exercise causes our body to release endorphins, known as the “feel-good” chemical in the brain. There have been multiple studies done that found that there is a massive association between exercise and improved mood and mental well-being.
Researchers that have studied exercise consistently found that there is a positive impact on mood. There have been some researchers that argue that exercise acts as a diversion from negative thoughts, while others argue that exercise improves mood by personal growth and goal attainment, which results from efforts to aster a physical skill. There is research evidence that also shows that social interaction, such as with team and groups, contributes the satisfaction of an individual, leading to mood enhancement.
Exercise has also been studied as an alternative treatment to the anti-depressant medication and cognitive-behavioral health currently used to treat depression. According to the Cochran Review, 23 studies were rigorously selected amongst a pool of over 100 studies. The collective evidence concluded that exercise has a “large clinical impact” on depression.
Another study done by Blumenthal et al. compared exercise to a commonly prescribed anti-depressant (Zoloft) in older adults experiencing clinical depression. They found that both treatments were equally effective in reducing depressive symptoms.
The above evidence supports exercise as being beneficial in our happiness and mental well-being, in my opinion. I am looking forward to new studies in this area to learn more.