By now, everyone has heard about the importance of exercise. From childhood, people are told that they need to get regular physical exercise to stay healthy, but they don’t always think about what that means. Yes, plenty of people focus on things like cardiovascular health and weight loss, but wellness goes further than that. Wellness does involve being physically fit, but it also involves being mentally alert, knowing how to cope with stress, having healthy relationships, and generally feeling good about yourself. Here are just a few ways that regular exercise can improve your overall wellness in ways that go beyond being physically fit.

Benefits of Regular Exercise

Improving Your Mood

Physical activity can have a bigger impact on your mood than you think. Even moderate physical activity such as taking a walk or doing housework releases endorphins that can improve your mood. Researchers have found that this mood-boosting effect is at its highest when people engage in low-intensity aerobic exercise for 30 to 35 minutes a day, three to five days a week. This level of activity is particularly effective in people who reportedly started in a bad mood. They pushed themselves to be active, and they felt better for it.

Stress Relief

Since physical activity can improve a person’s bad mood, it stands to reason that it can also relieve stress. Exercise provides an excellent outlet for anyone who is feeling anxious or otherwise stressed out. They can get rid of any excess energy they have that contributes to their feelings, and the endorphin rush that comes after a challenging workout is excellent for helping them relax.

Improved Self-Esteem

Finally, exercise can be a great way to improve one’s self-esteem. People who put forth the effort to improve themselves through exercise naturally feel proud about it, even if they regularly exercise anyway. Exercise also burns fat and builds muscle, which is good news if you’re the kind of person whose self-esteem is tied to your physical appearance. Improving your looks shouldn’t be your only motivation to exercise, but it might enhance your self-esteem and shouldn’t be ignored.

It’s clear that physical exercise is great for your overall wellness, but you might be wondering how you can be more physically active. The good news here is that it’s easier than you think. Just 10 minutes of light physical activity every day can improve your mood. This amounts to taking a walk, going on a short bike ride, or even just doing chores around the house. Of course, if you want to devote more time and effort to a workout regimen, you can certainly do that as well. Speak to your doctor about getting started on an exercise routine that works best for you. There is almost certainly something that you can do, and it will improve your wellness in every way imaginable.