Continued from Is Exercise Important?

A link between exercise and psychological health was suspected many decades ago.

Since the 1970s researchers have been working to pin down the connection, looking at the effects of everything from aerobic exercise to weight lifting and yoga.

They have found that regardless of the type or intensity of exercise, it is associated with improved psychological well-being.

It appears to provide 3 main benefits: It fights depression, eases anxiety, and increases a person’s ability to recover in the face of stress.

Exercise not only takes your mind off your troubles, it actually affects levels of body chemicals that are involved in emotions.

For example, exercise restrains, or limits, the release of several hormones—such as catecholamines and glucocorticoids—that contribute to both physical and psychological stress.

As a tool for long-term stress management, exercise helps keep a person on track. A good workout can drain the irritation, anger, and frustration that daily routine sometimes causes.

Many studies have found that exercise improves mood. Whether it’s running a marathon or walking around the block, exercise gives a person a sense of accomplishment—a chance to feel good about oneself.