Exercising Is The Best Stress Buster!

It’s well-known that exercising is phenomenal for our physical and mental health. But why this is the case often remains lesser discussed. Not only does exercising increase physical proficiency and has the power to alter your physique and appearance, but it also enhances cognitive function and brain health. Exercising can have favourable effects on your body, particularly your digestive, immunological, and cardiovascular systems — the effects of which compound over time to result in excellent overall health. How does this happen?

Well, there’s a little science behind how our body functions.

When we exercise, our brain receives more blood due to improved circulation, which further helps it meet the high metabolic requirement of our bodies. This improved blood flow also carries all the nutrients our brain needs to function. Exercising also helps your body cope with stress by simulating its effects, such as the flight-or-fight reaction, and allowing your body's systems to become more accustomed to working together under pressure. It’s also great for your mental health — a good workout assists your body in warding off the negative impacts of stress. Regular exercise can also help lessen the symptoms of mild depression and anxiety and boosts confidence, mood, and relaxation. These all-encompassing health advantages of exercise can lower the tension level and give you a sense of control over your body and life.

The hormones secreted during exercise and the biochemical processes they regulate. 

Insulin

Insulin, a peptide hormone the pancreas generates, controls how carbohydrates and fats are metabolized. Insulin is released to encourage the storage and uptake of glucose and glycogen when blood sugar levels are raised. By encouraging glucose's absorption into skeletal muscles or fatty tissues from the bloodstream, insulin aids in lowering blood glucose levels! It's critical to understand that insulin can prevent fat from being used to fuel muscle activity and instead cause it to be deposited in adipose tissue. To prevent insulin levels from rising and glycogen storage rather than allowing them to be used to support physical activity, you must avoid foods with high sugar levels (particularly sports drinks) before exercise. When exercise begins, the sympathetic nervous system slows the release of insulin.

Cortisol

The adrenal gland produces the steroid hormone cortisol in reaction to stress, low blood sugar, and physical activity. It facilitates the digestion of protein and triglycerides to produce the glucose required to sustain prolonged activity, which enhances energy metabolism. Cortisol is secreted when the body endures excessive physical stress or is not fully recovered from an earlier exertion!

Testosterone

The benefits of testosterone and exercise are actively being studied. However, we are aware that exercise temporarily raises testosterone levels, at first. Four key elements influence the effects of testosterone on the body.

Weight

High testosterone levels and reduced body fat percentages are directly correlated. According to research, testosterone directly prevents the growth of fat cells.

Age

As people get older, their testosterone levels drop. Elderly individuals who exercise for a brief period have higher testosterone levels. According to studies, low testosterone levels have also been associated with a higher incidence of dementia.

Physical fitness

If your fitness level is poor, you are more likely to experience a boost in testosterone in response to exercise. The testosterone reaction will lessen as your body adapts to the demand of exercising muscles.

Duration

The greatest testosterone response occurs in the evening when the levels are lowest because morning testosterone levels are at their highest. As a result, your workout will benefit the most from being done at the end of the day!

Endorphins

These hormones are referred to as "feel-good" hormones, and they often spike when we’re engaging in activities like eating, exercising, and having sex. There are around 20 different kinds of endorphins, and they all assist in regulating how the body reacts to both physical and mental stress.

Can a workout really make us happier?

We’ve all heard of a runner’s high — or people claiming that they need to work out to release those happy hormones. And there is a lot of truth to that matter! Any cardiovascular activity can contribute to this feeling. Physical activity may help increase the generation of the brain's feel-good neurotransmitters. Interestingly, though, we often colloquially refer to dopamine and serotonin as the “happy hormones” that regulate our feelings. But the funny part is that both aren’t hormones! They are, in fact, neurotransmitters or chemical messengers in the brain that controls several bodily functions. Dopamine is connected to motivation, reward, and pleasure sensations. Exercise releases numerous hormones (as well as other substances) into the body. You may experience a general improvement in your physical and mental well-being as a result, mainly because it might aid in reducing stress chemicals like cortisol and adrenaline. But don't go overboard. Your body also requires relaxation and balance.