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Motion: your key to emotional fitness

Take that first step to physical and mental health with a regular exercise routine

NOT INTERESTED in exercise? Think again. Physical activity is not just healthy for your body, it is also good for your mental and emotional well-being.

Thousands of people go to the gym or exercise outdoors religiously. They also watch their diet. But do they do this for health, fitness or vanity alone? Not according to the latest scientific findings.

A study by the United States President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports has found that 'exercise is related not only to a relief in symptoms of depression and anxiety, but it also seems to be beneficial in enhancing self-esteem, producing more restful sleep, and helping people recover more quickly from psychosocial stressors'. In other words, motion leads to emotional fitness.

Physically active people seem to be mentally healthier, according to the US Surgeon General's Report. They score higher on tests for self-concept, self-esteem and positive moods.

In addition, more active people fared better on ability to perform daily activities, and appear to have a higher quality of life.

Exercise has also been found to increase alertness, mental ability and cognitive skills.

If you care about other aspects of your life (financial, social, domestic, spiritual), you will benefit from doing physical activity. But just how important is the link between exercise and mental health, as defined by the level of anxiety, depression, stress, self-esteem or restful sleep?

It is very important, and the link is direct. Dr Patricia Bowmer, a Hong Kong-based psychologist specialising in exercise motivation, explains that the 'neuro-transmitters that are stimulated by drugs like Prozac to relieve depression are the same as those activated by exercise'.

And this finding forms the impetus behind heightened research into exercise as a cure for anxiety and depression.

Besides avoiding the negative side-effects of medication, not to mention the cost, exercise is great for you physically, leaving you invigorated, energetic and positive.

A Duke University study found that 60 per cent of the participants who exercised for 30 minutes over three weeks had the same relief from depression as those who took antidepressant medication. In addition, researchers are finding increasing evidence that exercise can relieve anxiety as effectively as other therapies.

Many studies are finding that exercise in conjunction with traditional therapies helps relieve anxiety and depression.

Exercise is also excellent for reducing stress, especially in the short term. A quick workout or run can be a great way to forget about your problems and give you a better perspective.

Physical exercise helps your body to use the stress hormones (the fight-or-flight biochemicals) to cope with stress at work. If left unchecked, these hormones can cause cardiovascular disease such as high blood pressure and ulcers. An added bonus of exercise is that your body produces endorphins - or home-grown morphine - which give you a physical and mental high.

Other research shows that physically fit people deal much better with stress.

Stress and anxiety have been linked to low self-esteem, which can lead to all sorts of social and behavioural problems. Working out can help boost your confidence.

Exercising regularly will not only help you feel and look better, but will also allow you to feel better about yourself. By exercising regularly, you train yourself to be disciplined and to achieve goals, thereby increasing your sense of self worth.

If you want to feel good, exercise. If you want to keep feeling good, keep exercising.

The key to your happiness and health lies within you. Don't depend solely on external sources such as medication. Use physical recreation to re-create yourself into a new and better person, inside and out. It is easier to feel good about yourself if you look good and feel healthy.

Leighton Tsai is chief executive of PowerSports

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