A good day is known from the morning, so this is the most suitable moment to apply a protocol that can improve your mood. Part of this protocol involves starting the day with intense physical exercises, but many people rightly wonder what are the best exercises, how often they should do them, and how long they should last to achieve that feeling of confidence, fulfillment, and inner balance.
There are no official standards regarding the volume of physical exercise needed to optimize happiness, but if there were, almost certainly the majority of Americans would fall below them – as most do not get enough exercise or do not exercise at all. Only 24% of US adults meet the federal recommendations for aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities, as stated in an article published in The Atlantic.
It is ideal to do at least 150 minutes per week (approximately 21 minutes per day) of moderate activity, such as brisk walking, plus some bodyweight exercises targeting different muscle groups (such as sit-ups or push-ups), at least twice a week.
The good news is, therefore, that the bar is set quite low - you don't have to train like an athlete to reap the benefits of physical exercise. Most people have plenty of opportunities to become healthier and happier by doing something that does not involve medications or therapists, but simply the desire to put in a little physical effort.
And there is ample scientific evidence to attest that a little physical effort has a significant impact on mood.
Physical exercises are divided into several categories:
- Aerobic workouts, also known as endurance or cardio, involve activities like running, cycling, and swimming.
- Strength training or resistance training involves weightlifting.
- Flexibility includes yoga and stretching.
Then, there are plenty of sports you can practice alone or with others.
Physical exercise significantly improves well-being - partly due to the positive effects on three neurotransmitters associated with mood balance.
These are brain-derived neurotrophic factor (which is lower in people with depression), serotonin (which influences anxiety and mood), and beta-endorphin (a peptide that blocks pain signal transmission).
Researchers have found that all forms of physical exercise are good for stimulating these neurochemical systems, but aerobic activity seems to have the strongest influence.
These mood-altering brain effects are not the only benefits of physical exercise on well-being. Yoga, for example, has been proven to be particularly beneficial for stress management.
Weightlifting can lead to increased self-confidence, regardless of gender and age - undoubtedly because it improves a person's physical appearance but also gives them a sense of increased strength.
Most people who exercise regularly experience an improved sense of community belonging and fulfillment. For many, engaging in sports becomes an essential part of their identity.
Who benefits the most from exercise
Those who can benefit the most from incorporating physical exercise into their routine are precisely sedentary individuals. In other words, the person who can derive the maximum happiness from physical exercise is the one who goes from zero to something.
For example, in former sedentary individuals, 12 weeks of regular aerobic activity reduced depressive symptoms by a third; feelings of hostility were also reduced (by 15%).
Even among those who are fit, adding more physical exercises to their routine has a positive impact on well-being. When individuals who engaged in moderate physical exercise added a few extra workouts per week, their level of depressive symptoms after three months was 19% lower than that of a control group of people who did not add any workouts.
In general, it's better to do more exercise - although at some point, adding more exercise may become excessive.
Better less than too much
When people continue to exercise despite physical injuries, personal inconveniences, or the pressure it may put on relationships, we talk about a behavioral addiction. There are individuals who suffer considerably when they miss a day at the gym. And there are also people who have neglected their partners in pursuit of an extreme level of fitness - there is a joke that a sudden increase in a partner's gym activity is an early warning that they will leave you.
Physical exercise dependence is directly correlated with perfectionism, body dissatisfaction, depression, eating disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorders. This syndrome is almost certainly exacerbated by the use of social networks, which reinforce unreasonable fitness and beauty standards, leading vulnerable individuals to adopt unhealthy behaviors.
Especially in men, this relentless pursuit can lead to the use of anabolic steroids, which can increase depression and anxiety and pose a risk of various physical damages.
In short, the relationship between physical exercise and happiness is a U-shaped curve: the benefits at the beginning are very high and increase as the person improves their physical condition; at some point, however, the improvements plateau and start to decline.
How to start exercising and not give up
Here are three ways to use movement, regardless of your fitness level.
Make a habit out of movement
The biggest issue most people face when starting an exercise program is sticking to it. Every January, many new members join gyms, but within a few weeks, they stop showing up because people struggle to make a habit out of exercise.
Canadian researchers studying this phenomenon found that successful establishment of an exercise program requires about six weeks of adherence, with an average of four workouts per week.
The likelihood of success is highest when the workouts are simple, have a consistent schedule, and do not involve biases.
Therefore, choose the best time of day for your program, select four days each week, and mark them on the calendar for the next six weeks. Find the cardio exercise you enjoy the most at a convenient gym where you don't feel watched or judged, and train for 30 minutes each time. At the end of the six-week period, you most likely have created the habit. Then you can start changing the hours and exercises.
Plan your workout
After establishing the routine, think about the challenge you most want to address:
- If it's negative mood, start doing cardio and increase the dose as desired.
- If it's stress, try yoga.
- If your issue is self-confidence, lift weights.
- Practice team sports if you're looking for camaraderie and fun.
Experiment with different techniques and types of exercises and carefully observe how each of them changes your well-being. You can design a balanced and adaptable fitness approach, meaning doing resistance and cardio exercises in equal proportions, then adapting them based on how you feel.
Whatever you do, do it in moderation
Good things quickly turn unpleasant if you overdo them - and this applies even to healthy behaviors, such as physical exercise.
There are many stories of people who have suffered from dangerous addictions - to substances and destructive behaviors (perfectionism, work addiction) - and then have used movement to change their lives, only to start exhibiting the same behavioral pattern in physical exercise.
If you are a gym enthusiast, you need to ask yourself if the lack of physical exercise causes you anxiety and if it harms or destroys your relationships - these are signs that you have reached the wrong side of the curve between physical exercise and happiness.
For starters, try something easy. A type of exercise that almost everyone can do, starting today, costs nothing, requires almost no skill, and has an exceptionally large impact on negative mood: walking. Research has repeatedly shown that daily walking reduces depression and anxiety. It is also one of the safest forms of exercise, as it rarely leads to injuries.
Some people believe that walking transcends the physical and takes you into the metaphysical, which is why pilgrims walk long distances in many religious communities.
Whether you are religious or not, try this tomorrow morning: wake up before sunrise and start "on the path" for an hour. Plan your route so that, towards the end, you witness the sunrise. If you can't do it in the morning, do it in the evening, at dusk - you will release the burden of a busy day and admire many glorious sunsets.
T.D.