In a personal mental crisis then work on your well-being.

Although there is no single universal definition of mental well-being, it does include factors such as:

Feeling good about ourselves and performing well individually or in relationships. The ability to deal with life´s ups and downs, such as overcoming obstacles and seizing opportunities. The sense of belonging to our community and surroundings. The sense of having control and freedom over our lives, as well as a sense of purpose and worth. Of course, mental well-being does not imply constant happiness,
nor does it exclude the possibility of experiencing negative or painful emotions such as grief, loss, or failure as part of everyday life. Physical activity, regardless of age, can help you live a mentally healthier life and improve your overall well-being.

What impact does physical activity have on well-being?

Physical activity has the potential to improve our health. Even 10 minutes of brisk walking boosts our mental alertness, energy, and positive mood.

Regular physical activity can boost our self-esteem while also reducing stress and anxiety. It also helps to prevent mental health problems and improves the quality of life for people who are in a mental health crisis.

Impact on our mood.

Physical activity has been shown to improve our mood. In one study, participants were asked to rate their mood immediately after periods of physical activity (for example, going for a walk or doing housework) and periods of inactivity (e.g., reading a book or watching television). Researchers discovered that when participants were physically active, they felt more content, awake, and calmer than when they were inactive. They also discovered that the effect of physical activity on mood was most pronounced when the mood was initially depressed.

Many studies are being conducted to investigate the impact of physical activity at various intensities on people´s moods. Overall, low-intensity aerobic exercise – for 30-35 minutes, 3-5 days per week, for 10-12 weeks – was found to be the most effective at increasing positive moods (e.g. enthusiasm, alertness).

Impact on our stress.

When events make us feel threatened or upset our balance in some way, our body´s defenses kick in and cause a stress response. This response may cause us to experience a variety of unpleasant physical symptoms and alter our behavior. We may also feel more intense emotions.

Sleeping problems, sweating, and loss of appetite are the most common physical symptoms of stress. These symptoms are caused by a surge of stress hormones in our bodies, also known as the “fight or flight” response. These hormones, adrenaline and noradrenaline, raise our blood pressure, heart rate, and sweat rate, preparing our bodies for an emergency response. They can also decrease blood flow to our skin and stomach activity. Cortisol, another stress hormone, will release fat and sugar into the system at the same time to boost our energy.

Physical activity can be a very effective stress reliever. According to research on employed adults, highly active people have lower stress levels than less active people.

Exercise not only benefits our physical health, but it can also boost our self-esteem. Self-esteem refers to how we feel about ourselves and how we see our own worth. It is an important indicator of our mental health and ability to deal with life´s stresses.

You can read more Minplan stories here. You can go and download Minplan for improving your own well-being here.