ExerciseYourHead
?佚名/Anonymous
Itgoeswithoutsayingthatexerciseisgoodforyourbody,butwhatmanydon』trealizeisthatit』salsogoodforyourmind.No,wedon』tmeanthatweighttrainingwillsuddenlyturnyouintoanEinstein—butstudyhasfoundthatworkingoutregularlyimprovesyourmood,boostsyoursenseofself-esteemandevenenhancesthefunctionofyourbrain.
Aswithotheraspectsofthehealthconnectionbetweenmindandbody,scientistsareonlybeginningtounderstandwhyphysicalworkoutsalsoprovideamentalandemotionalboost.Butmanypossibilitiesarealreadyknown,andnewresearchiscontinuallygoingforward.Forthoseinsearchofmentalaswellasphysicalmotivation,hereare12extrareasonstobeginaworkoutprogramforthenewmillennium.
1.Workingoutcangiveyouasenseofexhilarationandaccomplishment,andtheincreasedself-esteemthatresultsfromdoingsomethingyouknowisgoodforyou.
2.Exercisecausesyourbodytoproduceendorphins,thechemicalsthatdullpainandhelpproducewhat』sknownastheexercisehigh.
3.Weight-bearingexerciseparticularlyraisesyourtestosteronelevels,whichcanhelpimproveyourmood,especiallyifyourlevelsarenaturallyonthelowside.
4.AccordingtoHarvardpsychiatristJohnJ.Raety,M.d.,coauthorofabookonpsychologicaldisorderscalledSyndromes,asingleworkoutcanraiseyourbrain』slevelsofantidepressantchemicals,suchasdopamine,serotoninandnorepinephrine.
5.Ifyouarefeelingdown,exercisemayhelppickyouup.Althoughresearchersdisagreeonthisissue,onereviewofpaststudiesfoundthatlong-termexercise,especiallywhenitincludeslong-lasting,strenuoustrainingsessions,hasaboutasmuchofaneffectondepressionaspsychotherapy.(Ofcourse,thisdoesn』tmeanyoushouldn』tseektherapy.Ifyoubelieveyoumaybesufferingfromdepression,thefirstthingtodoistoconsultamental-healthprofessional.)
6.Workingouthelpsyoudealwithstressinyourjob,relationshipsoranyareaoflife—possiblybecauseexerciseisaformofstressitselfandhelpsconditionyourbodytodealwithit.WhenAustralianresearcherscomparedpeoplewhodid30minutesofaerobicexercisethreetimesaweektothosewhopracticedprogressive-relaxationtechniques,theyfoundthattheformergrouprespondedbettertoacutestressandhadlowerbloodpressure.
7.Evenalittleexercisecanmakeyouthinklessanxiously,Studieshaveshownthatanyamountofexercise,fromabrisk10-minutewalktoanintenseaerobicsorweight-liftingsession,seemstodecreasefeelingsofanxiety.
8.Aerobicexercisemaymakeyouthinkbetter.Overtime,cardioexercise(coupledwithahealthfuldiet)improvestheflowofbloodthatcarriesoxygenandnutrientstoyourbrain.