Move Your Mood
Move Your Mood
Do you find yourself struggling more and more to fit exercise into your daily routine? If so, we encourage you to keep reading for your inspiration on why you should still be focusing on moving your body.
Studies have shown that 10-20% of women deal with some form of mild to moderate depression throughout the year. However, you do not have to fall into this category of women. As a woman of God, you know you should focus more on prayer time and getting into the Word of God as these symptoms hit, but did you also know that exercise is a great, natural stress reliever?
Most people know that exercise can change your body in powerful ways; you can lose weight, fit into that dress you like, or be able to complete daily tasks easier. Many people are not aware of the powerful impact that exercise can have on your emotional health. If you happen to find yourself feeling down or anxious, one of the most significant actions you can take is to move your mood.
Some of the benefits of exercise on your emotional health include:
improves the frontal cortex of the brain, resulting in our ability to make better choices, experience improved focus, improved mood, and better mental functioning.
relieves stress
regulates hormones
relieves panic attacks because it physically changes the structure of the brain
increases motivation, productivity, and retention.
A great release for stress is to exercise your body for even just 20 minutes. By exercising, you allow your brain's natural chemicals, called endorphins or “feel good” chemicals, to be released and elevate your mood. Unlike prescription medicines or any supplement, these natural, God-created chemicals in our brains are released at perfect ratios as we start moving.
If you are exercising your body regularly at the start of your day, before stressful events occur, you are already way ahead of the process of recovery, because exercise naturally balances these chemicals with zero negative side effects. Successful people will often tell you that daily exercise is part of their routine to keep their minds sharp and emotions in check. This allows them to tackle their most important challenges as soon as their day starts with a positive mindset.
In Philippians 4:13 it says, “You can do all things through God who gives you strength.” So, while your nice warm bed may look especially inviting each winter morning, remember God has given you strength to do all things ...even exercise.