Studies have revealed that exercise can trigger the release of endorphins or ‘feel-good hormones’ throughout the body, which work to activate feelings of euphoria and wellbeing. In recent years, this link has seen a rise in doctors and other health and wellness professionals often prescribing exercise to help fight anxiety, depression and low energy. Robert Richards, fitness and wellness expert at Fitness First, has shared his top fitness tips on how exercise can help the body feel more relaxed, calm and energized.

Exercise and Depression

Regular physical activity has been shown to be as effective or in some cases more effective than anti-depressants. When you engage in moderate to hard exercise, your body and brain produce endorphins and other chemicals which have a positive impact on your mood, memory, energy levels and sense of wellbeing.

Fitness Tips That Will Boost Your Mood

Exercises like HIIT (high-intensity interval training), combined with cardiovascular and aerobics can be the perfect method for releasing mood-boosting endorphins in the body. Aerobic exercises work to raise your heart rate, like running, swimming, cycling, or elliptical training, while HIIT workouts alternate between intense bursts of activity and fixed periods of less-intense training or even complete rest.

Sprinting

A long-distance run at a consistent speed can sound quite tiresome, but sprinting is a great way to multiply the number of endorphins your body produces and can also be extremely fun and engaging.

Fitness tips while sprinting: Always remember to run as fast as you can without compromising your running form. Sprint for 30 seconds, straighten up and then walk for 60 seconds. Repeat this for 5 reps and slowly increase this over time. These short bursts of exercise are a great way to increase the heart rate and as well as the production of endorphins.

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Swimming

Swimming can quite literally be blissful. The aerobic movements required for swimming can seriously help provide the body with elevated feelings of happiness. Numerous studies have found a strong connection between the mind and body when undertaking swimming. Through stimulating the brain and allowing for chemicals to flow more freely, swimming can act as an immediate mood booster. Apart from relieving tension and propelling endorphins, swimming can also provide you with an opportunity to clear your mind and gain some perspective for the day ahead.

Cycling

Strengthening your core and legs in a unique way, cycling is the go-to activity for those looking to boost their mood. With the option of personalizing biking workouts for various requirements of intensity, biking can prove to be highly effective when feeling low.

Fitness tips while cycling: By adding resistance to the pedals or increasing speed, you can test your strength and set challenging goals. If you live in a residential area, you can simply go biking outside. Remember to push yourself up inclined areas and tougher terrain to make most out of your HIIT workout, and in turn, reward yourself with more endorphins.

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Elliptical Training

Elliptical training is one of the most underrated ways of raising endorphin levels. Elliptical trainers are well known to improve balance, posture and help build symmetrical muscle control. Cardiovascular exercise on an elliptical trainer can also help recharge you mentally and physically. When combined with a HIIT routine, elliptical training can prove to be a fail-safe way to unlocking a rush of endorphins.

HIIT

HIIT can significantly increase the release of endorphins and other peptides in the brain, increasing mood and decreasing the feeling of fatigue and even pain.

Fitness tips for HIIT: A good starter workout is switching between burpees, jumping jacks, squat jumps and mountain climbers as fast as you can. Perform one exercise for 1 minute followed by walking for 2 minutes or lifting a challenging weight for a set. Take a brief rest and then carry out the same routine with a different exercise. Before any HIIT workout, it’s important to warm up and prepare your body for exercise.

The best exercise for mood and wellbeing is the exercise you enjoy the most and the one that you will continue to do. For some people, this may be exercising in a group class or with friends and for others, it may be pushing yourself with some HIIT training. So, the next time you need a mood booster, simply hit the treadmill or pick some weights for an instant kick of satisfaction.

That said, which are your most effective fitness tips to boost your mood or lift up your spirits? Feel free to share in the comments.