Breeds Discipline
I took up working out in my last year of high school. Before taking up the gym, I suffered from a lack of discipline. My day had no structure to it. After 2 months of training, I found myself more regimented, waking up earlier and accomplishing more with my day. I even developed a meal plan that I have stuck to after all these years, with the exception of a few cheat meals here and there.
Elevates your Mood
Working out is also a great way to boost your mood. Exercise can increase the number of endorphins in your body and elevate your dopamine levels, which is the hormone associated with happiness.
Relieves Anxiety
The main reason I took up the gym was to find an outlet that would alleviate my anxiety. I tried several different coping mechanisms but the only thing that seemed to work was the gym. According to Harvard Health; working out can actually change your brain chemistry; and distract you from the things that were triggering your anxiety. Regardless of how busy I am in my work or personal life, I always carve 1-2 hours out of my day to devote to exercise 6 days a week.
Promotes Better Sleep
Physical exercise can also improve the quality of your sleep. According to Charlene Gamaldo, medical director of Johns Hopkins Center for Sleep at Howard County General Hospital; there is solid evidence to suggest that physical exercise can actually help you fall asleep more quickly. It can also increase what’s called “slow wave” or deep sleep, which will make you feel more refreshed and rejuvenated when you wake up.
Exercise Can Be Social
My brother and I have actually been going to the same gym for years! This has allowed us to build new friendships with the regulars at the gym. Also, if you find you lack the motivation to workout, sometimes it’s a good idea to link up with a friend. You can both discipline and motivate each other to workout.
Exercise Is Good For You
The most important reason to work out are the myriad health benefits associated with physical exercise. According to Harvard health, if you’re physically active, your heart gets trained to beat slower and stronger, so it needs less oxygen to function well; your arteries get springier, so they push your blood along better; and your levels of “good” HDL cholesterol go up. Physical exercise can also prevent diabetes, various types of cancers, and neurological disorders like dementia.
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