3 Surprising Ways Exercise Helps Regulate Emotions
Ask anyone who has been exercising consistently for several years why they keep showing up. My guess is that 9.99/10 times, the response would be that EXERCISE helps them COPE WITH LIFE.
Aesthetics can only go so far, but movement and physical exertion can serve us in uncountable ways. And it's only appropriate that it's worth discussion because...
Today is World Mental Health Day
You may already know this, but several studies and significant evidence has concluded that exercise and standard antidepressant treatments were equally effective. Even better, without
potential side effects that come from pharmaceuticals.
And this is powerful because our moods, thoughts and emotions really are the lens in which we see the world. And our lens is pretty much our everything, no?
I recently read a question posed by James Clear in his weekly email that read:
"Aside from my thoughts, am I okay?"
I found this question to be really valuable and something I should be asking myself more frequently.
In the paper discussed above there is a lot of talk about the chemicals released into your brain that help you feel good. You know, good ol' serotonin, but I often think about other aspects of exercise that regulate my emotions and my mood. Through psychotherapy I have really found some commonalities in how exercise helps regulate my mood and allows me to see again with a much broader lens.
1) Rhythm & Regulation: Most exercise creates a rhythmic and repetitive pattern. Running, cycling, rowing, zumba, and even strength training! Like music, it can be so calming. Even as babies in the womb we had the constant rhythm of our mothers heartbeat. After we were born we were rocked to sleep. Rhythm in itself brings us from dysregulation and back. To earth.
2) Body Awareness & Mindfulness: If you have ever meditated or practiced mindfulness, you know that in this practice you know the task is to focus on your present self. Note and label feelings and thoughts AND bodily sensations. Does exercise not do just that? Personally speaking, this has been particularly impactful for me in my relationship with running. Once I got over trying to achieve a certain time or go a certain distance and just began evaluating my thoughts and feelings and during the journey, I found running to be incredibly therapeutic and now essential to my quality of life. Even more unexpectedly, I enjoy running and walking in the cold where I reap even more benefits of becoming aware of my physical self(even if it means my fingers are cold and so are my toes!)
3) Challenging Self Limiting Beliefs:
"I can't"
"I'm not"
"I'll never" and "I'm too old to..."
I hear these types of statements from clients all the time, and sometimes these statements can be an indicator of where we need to point the needle in our journey. When you move closer to what you believe you are not capable of... something becomes exposed and more often it's a realization that you are more equipped and capable than you once believed! Fitness goals and the habits and routines that get us there can be so incredibly powerful in changing the picture of who we once thought we were to who we know we are now. It's called self-efficacy and we try to instill it in our children, but many times, don't allow ourselves to have it in ourselves.
This is not to suggest that traditional talk therapy and/or guidance from a great physician or psychiatrist is secondary, Both are incredibly valuable AND life changing (and saving). Hopefully you have a professional you are working with or at least on standby! But, don't be surprised if your prescription includes a little exercise for overall well being. After all, your mind IS part of your body!
A CHALLENGE FOR YOU:
Next time you're exercising, get a little curious. It's worth asking
"Besides my physical self, how is this changing me for the better?"
Then start counting the ways. Repeat until you realize your next therapy appointment actually involves lacing up your shoes!
Have a great week!
Katherine
P.S. Big shoutout to mental health professionals in this world. Saving lives every day. If you have thought about therapy and wondered if you might benefit from it, I strongly suggest you do the work and find someone. A great resource is www.psychologytoday.com Something I have done even while feeling relatively emotionally healthy, was finding a compatible therapist to check in with every few weeks. It feels nice to know that if and when the time comes that I need this support, I have one on standby. Hope this helps!