Physical activity improves your body’s ability to use oxygen and also improves blood flow. Both of these changes he a direct effect on your brain.
Exercise also reduces your levels of the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol and increases your brain’s production of endorphins, according to Harvard Health.
Endorphins are the feel-good neurotransmitters responsible for the feeling called runner’s high. This is the sense of well-being and euphoria that many people experience after exercise.
Physical activity can also help take your mind off your worries. Leing a stressful situation to go exercise can provide a much-needed break.
Also, the repetitive motions in exercise help you focus on your body rather than your mind.
By concentrating on the rhythm of your movements, you experience many of the same benefits of meditation while working out. Focusing on a single physical task activates calmness and clarity.
Some people notice an improvement in their mood immediately after a workout. Those feelings tend to build up over time.
You’ll likely notice increased feelings of well-being as you stay committed to a consistent exercise routine over a few days, weeks, and months.