The Benefits of Exercise on Mental Health & Stress
Mental health is one of the eight core elements of functional strength at FS8. More than just a beneficial outcome, we believe that physical activity and mental health are intrinsically linked.
The benefits of exercise to reduce stress and anxiety can be felt straight away. A cycle to work, quick ten-minute yoga exercise or jog around the block all stimulate endorphin levels and increase the heart rate. Many of us use exercise to combat stress – whether it’s part of your regular routine or something you turn to for relief in mentally or emotionally challenging times. In this guide, we’ll show you how different forms of movement promote wellbeing and self-confidence, triggering positive progress in all aspects of life. See strength reimagined with pilates, tone and yoga benefits for mental health.
The science behind exercise and reducing stress
You know that euphoric feeling after a great workout? Well, there’s real science behind using exercise as a stress reliever. Extensive research has been undertaken on the link between physical activity and improved mental health. So, how does exercise alleviate stress? On a biological level, physical exercise can boost the body’s serotonin levels and trigger the production of beta-endorphins.¹ Serotonin is the hormone related to happiness and wellbeing, while beta-endorphins are a type of endorphin involved with stress relief and pain management.
Regardless of gender or age, studies have revealed the positive impacts of regular exercise to combat stress, showing significant benefits for people who already experience anxiety and depression since there is ample room for development and change.²
5 positive effects of exercise on wellbeing
FS8 workouts are carefully designed around science-backed movements, combining full-body exercises to uplift and transform. After work, on the weekends or whenever you can, use exercise as a stress reliever to help restore balance and strength to the body and mind. As the poet and philosopher Alexander Pope once said, “Strength of mind is exercise, not rest.”³
FS8 group workouts also promote community and social confidence, in a supportive and uplifting environment. Below, discover what to expect for your wellbeing from our low-impact and high-energy workouts.
1. Decreased stress
Among other things, exercises in pilates, tone and yoga help to stimulate the production of neurohormones. This works to improve our mood – and in particular, our thought processes surrounding stressful situations. In addition to stimulating higher levels of endorphins and serotonin, all forms of exercise can help to reduce our levels of stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. On a simple level, the potential of movements like yoga or pilates exercise can release stress and allow you to re-centre yourself. All of this improves our overall ability to respond to stress when it occurs.
2. Better sleep
You may be aware of the ‘circadian rhythm’ – our bodies internal 24-hour clock, which navigates physical, mental and behavioural shifts throughout the day. When this cycle is disturbed, it can be hard to get to sleep or sleep throughout the night. A lot of the time, disruption to our sleep cycle can be put down to stress. By using exercise to combat stress, we raise our body temperature and help to regulate the circadian rhythm, calming the mind and encouraging deeper sleep. Better sleep equals better focus, emotional response and memory. For improved wellbeing, balanced sleep is a must. Implementing physical exercise to reduce stress can lend a hand in getting you there – and you can start with low-intensity workouts like yoga poses for sleep.
3. Increased self-confidence
In addition to using exercise to reduce stress and anxiety, boosted self-esteem is one of the universal benefits of exercise on mental health. The link between physical activity and mental health can be related to very specific functions in the body, but benefits can also very straightforward. The sense of accomplishment that comes after completing a high-energy workout often brings on a flush of self-confidence and self-belief. Whether it’s ticking off a daily walk or completing a high-impact workout, setting and achieving goals is a simple boost to overall self-esteem.
4. Improved cognitive function
Physical exercise has also been known to benefit cognitive function – our brain’s more complex brain activity like problem-solving, memory, attention and processing speed.4 A natural part of getting older means that these functions deteriorate, which can be stressful in itself. However, regular and consistent physical exercise can help prevent or lessen cognitive decline with age and may even diminish the risk of developing dementia.5 Not only can we view exercise as a stress reliever for our current selves, but we can think of physical activity as insurance for our future mental health.
5. Positive social interactions
Group fitness has a range of advantages for our mental health. Group workouts can help foster a sense of community and allow individuals to form connections with people while exercising. For many, group exercises play a key role in how to stay motivated to work out – especially when building new fitness habits. FS8 group exercise and reducing stress go hand-in-hand since these workouts focus on building shared fitness goals, keeping each other accountable and helping individuals overcome anxiety at the gym.
Types of stress-relieving exercises
At FS8, we’re all about moving better and feeling better. Our high-intensity, low-impact 3-in-1 workouts combine pilates, tone and yoga movements for empowered outcomes. Now that we’ve answered the question of ‘how does exercise reduce stress?’, see how and why FS8 promotes physical and psychological wellbeing using our range of physical exercises to reduce stress.
Pilates exercise as a stress reliever
Pilates movements are low-impact forms of movement that promote full-body wellbeing. Expect to raise core, lower body and upper body strength alongside coordination and balance. Throughout pilates exercises, awareness of movement and breathing are lifted. This mindfulness of movement helps to calm the mind and keep your focus on what’s in front of you – big bonuses for stress management. Using this form of exercise to reduce stress and anxiety increases endorphins, giving your mind a natural mood boost.
HIIT physical exercise to reduce stress
HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) gets the heart rate up with quick, active exercises. The benefits of exercise on mental health here go right down to cognitive function. By pushing yourself and giving it your all, the BDNF protein is stimulated, which promotes mood regulation, memory and learning. As mentioned before, giving 100% also triggers our sense of accomplishment. Workouts like FS8 Cardio or Hybrid leave you exhausted yet energised by pushing the burn, sparking sweat and raising empowerment.
Yoga for mental health
Many different types of yoga are widely known for their positive impacts on mental health and wellbeing. This widely-practiced form of exercise can release stress and reduce anxiety, thanks to its focus on meditation and breathing practices. FS8 stretches yoga to the limit. By modifying traditional poses, our workouts release tension, strengthen the body and improve circulation, all the while training the mind. You probably know that yoga can slow the heart rate and instill calmness and mindfulness, but you might not be aware of the brain workout it achieves. Through yoga movements, the brain develops new connections, resulting in cognitive skill building like learning and memory. Attention, thought and awareness are all improved through this form of exercise.
1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5934999/
2 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15518309/
3 https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44900/an-essay-on-man-epistle-ii
4 https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/health-disease/cognitive-function-in-brief
5 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5934999/