THE PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS OF A HEALTHY, ACTIVE LIFESTYLE

Modern day sedentary life styles and increased leisure time has brought modern day illnesses. The effects of a healthy and active lifestyle have positive changes in physiological well being which are due to an interaction of both psychological well-being are due to an interaction of both physiological and psychological mechanisms. This report reviews the possible advances on how exercise can be used as an alternative to the use of drugs to combat these mental and physical problems.

To be healthy or in a state of good health is to be in a state of well-being and free from disease. Aerobic capacity (stamina and endurance) strength, flexibility and body composition are all health-related sources of fitness.

“The healthy person has the ability to coop with the stresses of life and meet the demands of the environment”

People who exercise regularly, are more likely to carry on with exhausting work for longer periods of time than sedentary people. This is due to the adaptive responses made by the body as a result of regular exercise. To acquire and maintain a healthy active life style, it is advised that a person should participate in a exercise activity at least three times per week for twenty to six

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If exercise benefits the body, it can do wonders for the mind. As long as the goals set are achievable by the exerciser there is less of a change of failure in the fitness program and achievement motivation can be gained. The effect of adrenaline lasts but a few minutes because it is rapidly metabolised, excreted or taken up by other tissues. In a qualitative study, Sachs (1980) interviewed 60 runners to discover what conditions facilitate the runner’s high.

Since the runner’s high provides such positive feelings, individuals seek out this type of activity regally and it also used as an aid of cleansing the runner’s mind and emotion, relieving the clutter in their minds and allow them to start fresh following the exercise. ‘The runners described the mood as a very positive psychological state with feelings of well-being, euphoria, relaxation, and effortlessness. The combination of duration and intensity results in the expenditure of about 200 to 300 Kcal per session. ”

Much of the points discussed so far have been about reducing negative or harmful effects endorsed by every day activities of work. Plus exercise can raise levels of important chemicals in the brain, such as endorphins, serotonin, adrenaline, and dopamine that produce the feeling of pleasure.

After conditioning, the depression began to leave them. Exercise can be of value in relieving both.

Approximate Word count = 2033
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)

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