How  does  fitness  affect  people’s  well  being?  

Introduction  There  have  been  numerous  studies  that  suggest  that  there  is  a  strong  relationship  between  exercise  and  well-­‐‑being.  

Alsha  Patel    Sports  &  Recreation  

It  defines  how  people  feel  and  function  in  their  lives  as  well  as  their  happiness.  It  also  relates  to  peoples  abilities  at  engagement,  relationships  and  their  purpose  for  life.  Well  being  

is  influences  by  many  things  including  genes,  experiences  and  

environment.  

What  is  well-­‐‑being?  

Exercise  is  most  commonly  associated  with  its  benefits  on    Improving  health  and  reducing  risk  of  cardiovascular  diseases  however  there  have  been  increasing  reaserch  studies  on  its  effect  on  mental  health.  These  have  summarised  the  potential  for  exercise  as  a  therapy  for  clinical  or  subclinical  depression  or  anxiety,  and  the  use  of  physical  activity  as  a  means  of  upgrading  life  quality  through  enhanced  self-­‐‑esteem,  improved  mood  states,  reduced  state  and  trait  anxiety,  resilience  to  stress,  or  improved  sleep.    Regular  exercise  is  also  very  theraputic  and  has  shown  trmendous  results  on  people  without  mental  illnesses.  There  are  several  mental  benefits  in  addition  to  the  physical  ones.  One  of  which  includes  sharpening  brainpower.  The  endorphines  released  help  you  concentrate  better  as  well  as    Stimulating  the  growth  of  new  braincells  which  helps  to  prevent  age-­‐‑related  decline.  

 

 

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The  science  behind  it…  When  you  exercise,  your  body  releases  chemicals  called  endorphins.  These  endorphins  interact  with  the  receptors  in  your  brain  that  reduce  your  perception  of  pain.  

Endorphins  also  trigger  a  positive  feeling  in  the  body,  similar  to  that  of  morphine.  For  example,  the  feeling  that  follows  a  run  or  workout  is  often  described  as  "ʺeuphoric."ʺ  That  feeling,  known  as  a  "ʺrunner'ʹs  high,"ʺ  can  be  accompanied  by  a  positive  and  energizing  outlook  on  life.  

Endorphins  act  as  analgesics,  which  means  they  diminish  the  perception  of  pain.  They  also  act  as  sedatives.  They  are  manufactured  in  your  brain,  spinal  cord,  and  many  other  parts  of  your  body  and  are  released  in  response  to  brain  chemicals  called  neurotransmitters.  The  neuron  receptors  endorphins  bind  to  are  the  same  ones  that  bind  some  pain  medicines.  However,  unlike  with  morphine,  the  activation  of  these  receptors  by  the  body'ʹs  endorphins  does  not  lead  to  addiction  or  dependence.  

 

CONTROLS  WEIGHT    Exercise  can  help  prevent  excess  weight  gain  and  keeps  you  in  great  shape.    COMBATS  HEALTH  CONDITIONS  Being  active  boosts  high-­‐‑density  lipoprotein  and  decreases  unhealthy  triglycerides.  This  reduces  the  risk  of    cardiovascular  diseases,  diabetes  and  several  others.    IMPROVES  MOOD  Regular  exercise  leaves  you  feeling  more  relaxed  and  happy.  It’s  a  great  way  to  reduce  stress,  boost  confidence  and  improve  your  self-­‐‑esteem.  You  also  feel  less  anger  and  frustration.    BOOSTS  ENERGY  Physical  activity  improves  your  muscle  strength  and  boost  your  endurance.  Your  heart  and  lungs  work  more  efficiently  to  deliver  oxygen  and  nutrients  to  the  tissues.    PROMOTES  BETTER  SLEEP  Regular  physical  activity  can  help  you  fall  asleep  faster  and  deepen  your  sleep.  This  leaves  you  feeling  more  energized  the  next  day.  

How  does  exercise  effect  behavior?  Frequent  exercise  leads  to  significant  improvements  amongst  people  suffering  from  depression.  People  that  exercise  experience  anxiety  less  often  as  they  are  much  more  confident.  Exercise  also  reduces  stress  and  allows  you  to  feel  much  more  relaxed.    When  faced  with  mental  or  emothional  challenges  in  life,  those  who  exercise  regularly  are  able  to  cope  with  it  in  a  healthy  way  rather  than  resorting  to  drugs,  alcohol  or  other  negative  behaviors  that  simple  worsen  the  situation.  Exercise  has  also  shown  to  increase  optimism  and  people  taking  a  more  positive  approach  to  life.  

The  benefits  of  EXERCISE:  

 

 

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Survey  Results:  I  decided  to  investigate  and  see  if  there  really  is  a  connection  between  fitness  and  well  being.  I  sent  out  a  survey  and  received  over  135  responses.  Here  are  my  findings:    

Do  you  think  you  are  fit?  This  was  the  first  question  I  asked  as  I  wanted  to  understand  people’s  views  on  themselves  and  weather  or  not  they  believe  they  are  fit  as  this  would  influence  the  way  the  respond  to  the  survey.  I  had  quite  a  balanced  outcome.  

14%  of  the  people  exercise  everyday  which  I  was  very  surprised  by.  13%  exercise  5  times  a  week.  The  majority  (46%)  exercise  2-­‐‑3  times  a  week.  24%  exercise  once  a  week  and  3%  exercise  once  a  month.    This  information  shows  me  the  exercising  habits  of  my  local  community.  

How  frequently  do  you  exercise?  

What  do  you  most  often  do  for  exercise?  This  allows  me  to  familiarize  myself  with  common  exercise  routines  within  my  school.  As  you  can  see  most  people  prefer  to  go  for  a  run  or  play  a  team  sport.  

How  much  exercise  do  you  think  you  get?  Over  half  the  responses  (56%)  indicate  that  people  are  not  happy  with  their  exercising  habits  and  feel  they  need  more.  I  am  interested  to  find  out  why.  42%  of  the  people  feel  they  get  sufficient  exercise  whilst  only  2%  think  they  get  too  much.  

How  important  is  exercising  to  you?  

97%  of  my  responses  show  that  people  think  exercise  is  somewhat  important  to  them  and  3%  show  that  its  not.  These  results  were  as  expected  as  exercise  is  a  crucial  part  of  both  health  and  well-­‐‑being.  

How  do  you  feel  after  exercising?  5%  of  the  people  don’t  feel  a  difference  before  and  after  exercising.  2%  feel  terrible  after  exercising  whilst  71%  would  describe  it  as  great.  22%  of  the  people  feel  “really  good”  after  exercising.  One  of  the  comments  stated  “I  feel  amazing  after  exercising,  it  really  has  a  big  impact  on  my  mood  for  the  rest  of  the  day”.  

Do  you  think  exercise  effects  your  mental  health?  

Rate  your  happiness  out  of  10:  10  /10  -­‐‑  12.24%  9  /10  –  10.20%  8  /10  –  34.69%  7  /10  –  24.49%  6  /10  –  7.14%  

5  /10  –  6.12%  4  /10  –  4.08%  3  /10  –  0.00%  2  /10  –  0.00%  1  /10  –  1.02%  

 

 

 

Tips  and  Suggestions  to  improve  your  well  being:  Meditation  has  shown  a  lot  of  positive  results  in  improving  well  being.  It’s  a  simple  process  which  if  practiced  regularly  is  soothing  and  relaxing  as  it  helps  clear  your  mind  of  any  impurities.  Inspiration  is  another  great  way  to  improve  well  being  and  exercise  can  help  you  with  that  too.  You  should  also  start  to  appreciate  all  the  little  things  and  show  gratitude  as  it  improves  your  own  happiness.  Exercise  is  commonly  practiced  by  everyone  and  is  very  beneficial  as  it  releases  endorphins  into  your  brain  which  makes  you  motivated  and  allows  you  to  carry  out  tasks  more  efficiently.  How  to  make  the  most  out  of  your  exercise:  

• Make  an  exercising  schedule  and  aim  to  do  30  minutes  of  moderate  exercise  5  times  a  week.  “Moderate  Exercise”  means  being  energetic  enough  that  you:  

o Breath  heavier  than  normal,  but  aren’t  out  of  breath  

o Feel  warmer  but  don’t  necessarily  end  up  hot  and  sweaty.  

• Instead  of    working  out  in  an  enclosed  room,  get  some  fresh  air  and  exercise  with  nature  surrounding  you  (e.g.  at  a  park,  go  for  a  hike,  at  the  beach  etc.)  

• It  is  much  better  to  exercise  with  a  group  than  by  yourself  so  bring  someone  along  with  you.  

• Set  goals  to  motivate  you.  These  can  also  be  used  to  measure  progress  and  build  up  a  sense  of  accomplishment  (which  is  great  for  self-­‐‑esteem  and  confidence).  

BIBLIOGRAPHY:  Medical  News  Today.  MediLexicon  International.  Web.  12  Apr.  2015.  <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/245751.php>.  

 "ʺ9  Tips  to  Improve  Your  Wellbeing."ʺ  ReachOut.com.  Web.  12  Apr.  2015.  <http://au.reachout.com/9-­‐‑tips-­‐‑to-­‐‑improve-­‐‑your-­‐‑wellbeing>.    "ʺCan  Exercise  Improve  Behavior?  Help  Encouraging  a  Child  Who  Has  Autism."ʺ  Autism  Speaks.  Web.  12  Apr.  2015.  <https://www.autismspeaks.org/blog/2013/06/14/can-­‐‑exercise-­‐‑improve-­‐‑behavior-­‐‑help-­‐‑encouraging-­‐‑child-­‐‑who-­‐‑has-­‐‑autism>.    "ʺExercise  and  Depression:  Endorphins,  Reducing  Stress,  and  More."ʺ  WebMD.  WebMD.  Web.  12  Apr.  2015.  <http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/exercise-­‐‑depression>.    

 "ʺExercise  and  Mental  Health."ʺ  Exercise  and  Mental  Health.  Web.  12  Apr.  2015.  <http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/help-­‐‑information/mental-­‐‑health-­‐‑a-­‐‑z/E/exercise-­‐‑mental-­‐‑health/>.    "ʺGet  Active  for  Mental  Wellbeing."ʺ  -­‐‑  Stress,  Anxiety  and  Depression.  Web.  12  Apr.  2015.  <http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-­‐‑anxiety-­‐‑depression/pages/mental-­‐‑benefits-­‐‑of-­‐‑exercise.aspx>.    "ʺHow  Exercise  Benefits  Depression,  Anxiety,  and  Stress."ʺ  :  Using  Physical  Activity  to  Improve  Your  Mental  Health.  Web.  12  Apr.  2015.  <http://www.helpguide.org/articles/exercise-­‐‑fitness/emotional-­‐‑benefits-­‐‑of-­‐‑exercise.htm>.    "ʺMotivation  to  Exercise  Affects  Behavior."ʺ  ScienceDaily.  ScienceDaily.  Web.  12  Apr.  2015.  <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213134135.htm>.    Tartakovski,  Margarita.  "ʺ15  Tips  to  Boost  Your  Well-­‐‑Being  and  Happiness."ʺ  Psych  Central.  30  Jan.  2013.  Web.  12  Apr.  2015.  <http://psychcentral.com/lib/15-­‐‑tips-­‐‑to-­‐‑boost-­‐‑your-­‐‑well-­‐‑being-­‐‑and-­‐‑happiness/00010428>.  

 "ʺWellbeing  Index."ʺ  What  Is  'ʹwellbeing'ʹ?  Web.  12  Apr.  2015.  <http://www.mywellbeing.co.nz/mw/what-­‐‑is-­‐‑wellbeing.html>.    "ʺWhat  Is  Well-­‐‑being?"ʺ  |  Learn  |  National  Accounts  of  Well-­‐‑being.  Web.  12  Apr.  2015.  <http://www.nationalaccountsofwellbeing.org/learn/what-­‐‑is-­‐‑well-­‐‑being.html>.