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World Mental Health Day 2022: Five exercises that can help improve mental health
Going for a walk can relieve you from stress, and also help you with mental health issues like anxiety and depression

Managing your mental health is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. These days, the focus is on mental health benefits that are achieved from working out. These include lifting your mood, improving your sleep and easing symptoms of anxiety, stress, and depression. When you ignore your mental health, chances are that you become overwhelmed with stress from your work and home life. By taking time to keep your emotions in a healthy place, you will feel confident when you take on new tasks. It is to be noted that physical activity has a direct impact on your brain. Exercise increases blood circulation as well as the production of Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF). BDNF is a protein found in different parts of the brain and helps in thinking, memory, and learning, all of which helps to provide relief for mental illness.On the occasion of World Mental Health Day today, 10 October, here are some exercises that are beneficial for our mental health:
- Stand and Stretch: When you are working in an office environment, you may get fewer chances to move and exercise through your day. That can have a negative impact on your physical and mental health because this makes you feel trapped, annoyed or cuts your focus. You should try to stand up and stretch on a regular basis. Ideally, you may want to stand up every half an hour or 15 minutes for a short duration of time. The stretching will help in keeping your blood circulation moving and standing helps to break up the monotony of your day.
- Walking: Walking may seem like a difficult option for staying healthy but one cannot ignore that it gets you out in the fresh air. Going for a walk can relieve you from stress, and also help you with mental health issues like anxiety and depression. Even as little as a 15-minute walk is enough to freshen up your mind.
- Aerobic or gym exercise: Studies have found that aerobic or gym exercise helps to promote good mental health. Examples of such exercise are rope skipping, boxing, weightlifting etc.
- Boxing: The belief that hitting a punching bag helps to release stress and anger is true. Finding an outlet for aggression can be empowering and healing. Sharp 'rounds' of punching, followed by rest, releases endorphins. If you are fighting with another boxer, it helps you to stay focused on the task at hand.
- Yoga: Yoga’s foundations are based on spirituality and, with close ties to meditation and thoughtful breathing exercises, it is considered to be synonymous with relaxation and tranquility. Yoga is a well-regarded practice tool of psychotherapy.
First Published:Oct 10, 2022, 07:00:56 IST
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