Of course we often hear that exercise is good for the health of the body. However, besides being healthy for the body, exercise is also good for mental health, you know. Why is that? This happens because physical activity can directly affect the brain. Exercise helps increase blood circulation in the body and the production of Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), which is a protein in the brain.
Increased protein will help a person in thinking, remembering and learning. All of that will certainly help relieve mental illness. As reported by Healthline, here are some types of exercise that are good for mental health. You can do this exercise at home by learning through videos or online instructions.
Qigong
Qigong is a sport that focuses on posture, body movement, breathing, and meditation. This activity is useful for curing diseases to relaxation to maintain mental health. The combination of body movements and breathing in Qigong has its own benefits.
According to studies, breathing in Qigong can increase stamina, vitality and immunity. As for each movement, it serves to improve mental, physical and spiritual health. When you start doing Qigong, your body and mind will feel more peaceful, relaxed and flexible. Every movement made makes blood flow smooth, lowers blood pressure, controls breathing, activates the parasympathetic nervous system, and inhibits stressors in the body so that the heart and mind will be calmer.
Tai chi
Taijiquan or Tai chi is a combination of martial arts and refined fitness from China. Tai chi has many different styles, but stems from one root, basic concept, and the same goal. It’s just that the movement is slightly different.
Along with its development, Tai chi is also considered a form of meditation. For anyone who does it, will achieve physical health and inner peace. This sport is safe to do by people of all age groups, even very suitable for the elderly (elderly).
Take a walk in the morning
Walking in the morning has many benefits, which can strengthen muscles, improve blood circulation, nourish the heart, make the kidneys work well and control blood sugar. In addition to getting many benefits for the health of the body, walking in the morning also contributes to psychological health.
Walking in the morning is like doing meditation. This can improve mood and reduce stress and anxiety. By breathing fresh air in the morning, the brain will release serotonin and endorphins. These two hormones are known to be effective in making the mood calm, happy and peaceful. The ideal time is 7am, with a 30-minute moderate pace walk.
Swim
Swimming is one of the means for meditation, because when swimming the brain only focuses on the sensation of movement and breathing. This can divert feelings of sadness or discomfort that are inside.
Quoting from Theswimguide, swimming encourages the brain to release good feelings called endorphins. Endorphins are produced by the nervous system in the body that play a role to help relieve stress, reduce feelings of sadness and increase positivity. Automatically when you swim, endorphins will release and help overcome many things that make you stressed and sad.
Yoga
This sport from India is a body and mind exercise that focuses on strength, flexibility and breathing to improve mental and physical health. This sport has been practiced for a long time and has been adapted into various variations. For beginners, you should do the easy yoga movements first.
Yoga movements for beginners are Tree Pose, Cat-Cow, Mountain Pose, Child’s Pose, and Downward-Facing Dog. For beginners who are not familiar with yoga movements, ideally yoga should be done every day, namely 15 minutes for core movements, 15 minutes for breathing exercises and meditation. This activity can reduce the secretion of cortisol which is the main stress hormone.