Note: This post has been contributed.
We are all well aware that we need to maintain a thorough exercise regime in order to keep ourselves in peak physical condition. This is why we all try to fit at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise, or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise, into our weekly routines and regimes. But did you ever consider how exercise can affect your overall sense of wellbeing? Nowadays, we are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of our mental health and emotional wellbeing, and exercise is a brilliant way to improve your overall mood. If you feel that your current exercise regime isn’t ticking all of your boxes when it comes to maintaining a good quality of life on an emotional or mental level, here are a few different regimes that you might want to try out instead!
The Gym
The gym is an easy form of exercise to get yourself involved with. You don’t have to rely on the presence of anyone else and many gyms are now open twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, which allows you to head to the establishment and exercise as and when you please. There also tends to be a wide range of equipment on offer, meaning that you can exercise in a wide variety of ways in a small space. One day you can focus on your arms, the next your legs, the next your core. The exercise, in general, has been found to alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression. It also gives you an escape from the worries and stresses of your day to day life, providing you with a period where you can put your phone aside, focus on a given activity, and avoid any unrelated distractions.
Basketball
Team sports are brilliant for lifting your mood. So, let’s focus on basketball Why? Well, not only does the exercise itself benefit you in the way mentioned above, but seeing as it is a team sport, it encourages you to socialise and communicate effectively with others. It’s a great way to instill a little team spirit into your life, and to make new friends who you might not have ever met in any other social situation in your life. You can just throw on your basketball uniforms and head to the court. What’s more? Once you know the rules of the game, you can head to the pub or another meeting place and watch professional matches together on the television. This is a great way of mixing sport with social interaction!
Trial and Error
Different sports and regimes will prove preferable to different people. So, take on the mindset of trial and error and don’t feel like you have to stick with anything that you’re uncomfortable with. You will find something that suits you down to a tee eventually!
As you can see, exercise can prove beneficial to you in more ways than working you out physically. Give the above options a chance and you should find your sense of wellbeing improving in next to no time!