9 ways exercise can give you a mental boost

When you work out it's not just your muscles and joints that benefit, so does your brain. Here are nine ways exercising can give you a mental boost.

As we age, our bodies start to slowly break down, including our brains. We're not able to think as quickly or sharply as before, but physical exercise can be one way to stave that off a bit, especially what you do before your middle-age years.

• It helps increase blood and chemical flow to your brain, keeping it in good shape for your older years.

You don't have to wait until your senior years to reap the mental benefits of physical exercise.

• Each time you go for a jog, swim or bicycle ride,  the cardio exercise can help create new brain cells, which can speed up your thinking and processing powers.

These chemicals are the one that cause you to be fuzzy-feely on the inside, and exercise is one of the best ways of achieving that.

• If you work out for 30 minutes at a time at moderate intensity several times a week, you may be able to tap into releasing extra endorphins and start feeling better about life in general.

As long as you don't exercise too close to bedtime, a workout can be a fantastic way of sleeping better each night.

• Try to cap off your workout five hours before bed so your body's thermal system can drop its temperature, signalling the brain it's time to fall asleep.

If you've been trying to learn the guitar or paint a picture, exercise just may be the thing to get you there (along with practice!)

• With all the oxygenated blood surging through your body, your brain is supercharged to work at extra capacity.
• You can enjoy these effects for up to two hours after a cardio workout, so get that heart pumping.

If you've had a tough day, get some cardio activity instead of soaking in a bubble bath.

• The endorphins and other chemicals released by your brain after just 20 minutes of exercise can instantly make you feel better, letting you blow off steam and burn calories at the same time.

Instead of hopping on the treadmill, take your workout outside and see what's in different neighbourhoods.

• You can get a quick cultural boost without having to leave town, meet new like-minded exercise friends and get to know your city in a different light. All these can help to make you a more well-rounded, happier person.

Not much feels better than setting a goal for yourself and knocking it out of the park.

• You can hit a double whammy by using exercise to get you there.
• Start with small steps so you don't get overwhelmed, then make it part of your life and watch your confidence and satisfaction in yourself grow.

Use exercise as one of the ways to battle depression, but make sure to check with your doctor first about what's best for you.

• Think long-term, too, by creating a 10+ week plan of physical exercise. It can help to create structure in your life, take your mind off your depression and potentially get you through to a happier plateau naturally.

There are many mental benefits that can accompany physical exercise, so pick a workout that suits you and watch the extra magic take effect.