Exercising Your Way To Happiness

While stress and anxiety are a normal part of everyone’s life, anxiety disorders afflict almost a third of Malaysians according to the 2017 National Health and Morbidity Survey. While medication and seeing a doctor helps, research has also shown that exercising can help with anxiety as well. In fact, research has shown that it can be quite effective at calming sensory nervous systems, producing feel-good hormones, lowering resting heart rate, increasing confidence, and decreasing sensitivity to anxiety symptoms.

Physically active people also have lower rates of anxiety and depression than people who lead sedentary lifestyles. Between just sitting in front of the TV or computer screen all day, a brisk run or light game of football with some friends will definitely help put a smile on your face. In fact, the brain learns to cope better with stress as you exercise more and it may also help improve your mental health.  

Who doesn’t love to sleep? The feeling of your head landing on a soft pillow and smooth sheets is probably one of the best feelings in the world. Unfortunately in Malaysia, approximately 35 percent of the general population suffers from insomnia symptoms and 12.2 percent have chronic insomnia. Our hectic lifestyles and the proliferation of electronic gadgets precipitate a tendency for us to suffer from insomnia. Getting enough quality sleep can help protect your mental health, physical health and quality of life. Without adequate sleep, your mood is affected, you can’t focus and you are unable to pay attention.

Exercising regularly will help to improve your sleep quality and probably alleviate some of those suffering from insomnia. (Of course this doesn’t apply to everyone suffering from insomnia, proper consultation with a doctor is still recommended.) While researchers have yet to completely understand how physical activity improves sleep, moderate aerobic exercise is known to increase the amount of slow wave sleep you get. Slow wave sleep refers to deep sleep, where the brain and body have a chance to rejuvenate.