Physical fitness is absolutely essential in achieving overall health and wellness. Exercise helps fight diseases, enhances mood and builds both muscle and self-discipline. At the Delray Center for Healing, we believe in the positive impact exercise has on mental health issues, and we provide personal training as a part of many mental health treatment plans.
Everyone knows that exercise improves physical health, but not everyone knows the many benefits that exercise can also have on mental health. It’s important to include structured, routine exercise in mental health treatment programs. Research shows the effectiveness of exercise on mood disorders like anxiety and depression. Exercise also helps with other issues including low concentration, self-confidence, and social behavior. This is due to the fact that exercise increases blood circulation to and around the brain – resulting in a number of positive outcomes. The effect exercise has on the limbic system and hippocampus, which both play a part in mood management, is important to one’s mental health. Exercise also affects the amygdala, which is responsible for the management of stress.
Since exercise promotes circulation in a number of areas of the brain, individuals can benefit from it in a number of ways. Some of the psychological benefits of exercise that mental health patients can take advantage of include:
Depression and Anxiety Symptom Management: Exercise is a great tool in the management of moods for people living with mood disorders like depression and anxiety. Basically, when you exercise, your body produces more endorphins. These are hormones that help to regulate mood, thus providing individuals living with mood disorders with better mood management.
Stress Reduction: Along with helping to manage moods by the release of endorphins, exercising also helps to reduce stress levels. As it’s important to manage stress when in recovery from mental health issues, and exercise is a tool that almost anyone in recovery can take advantage of on a regular basis. While exercising, the body’s sympathetic and central nervous systems work together, better preparing the body to handle stress.
Improved Sleep: Sleep is crucial for mental health. Without sleep, we lose concentration, ambition, and even the ability to manage our moods. Exercise can help the body to better manage its circadian rhythm or internal clock, leading to healthier sleep schedules. Exercise also helps you get to sleep faster by increasing the body’s internal temperature. This allows the body to relax because increased body temperature leads to a calmer mindset.
Brain Rejuvenation: Research shows that cardiovascular exercise can even lead to new brain cell regeneration. Overall, this boosts brain function and helps with various things like concentration, memory, and even learning. Furthermore, exercise is also proven to help with mental energy. One can use this extra mental boost to inspire creativity and problem solve.
Boost in Self Confidence: Working on oneself in the form of exercise can lead to weight loss, muscle gain, and overall toning and conditioning of the body. Therefore, giving you a reason to feel proud of yourself, and boosting one’s own self morale and confidence.
As part of our overall wellness program and many treatment packages, clients receive Personal Training at Performance Fitness & Nutrition, part of Delray Center for Healing’s campus.
Performance Fitness and Nutrition offers the benefits of a private fitness studio including state-of-the-art equipment, personalized fitness plans, and one-on-one training.
Our educated and highly qualified trainers have experience with a variety of cardio, strength and core building techniques to help clients stay motivated as they turn short-term goals into long-term results. Both beginners and professional athletes alike will benefit from a unique fitness and nutrition program custom-tailored to their specific needs.
At Performance Fitness & Nutrition, our goal is to create an inspiring and motivating environment that encourages clients to re-evaluate their capabilities and reach their true physical potential.
For additional information about the services offered at Performance Fitness & Nutrition, visit teampfn.com
The Delray Center For Healing offers Personal Training as one of the most comprehensive outpatient depression treatment programs in the country.
Dr. Rodriguez founded the Delray Center in 2003 and built it on a foundation of core clinical, professional, and ethical principles that are adhered to still to this day. Dr. Rodriguez founded the Delray Center in 2003 and built it on a foundation of core clinical, professional, and ethical principles that are adhered to still to this day.