Exercise's effect on the mind

[Futhark]

Does anyone know of any good resources talking about the mental aspects of exercise and how it effects the brain? I am interested, because I know I feel much more relaxed on a day that I start out by exercising, feel more confident, and generally have an easier time concentrating and just enjoying the moment. Seems like morning exercise puts me in a good mindset for the entire day.

Anyone else use exercise to calm down your minds?

[pcvchriskmg]

Yes, when I exercise in the morning versus when I don't, its like night and day. Feel much better.

As for why...

Let me google that for you

Chris

[1shivers]

I recommend you DON't google it. if you keep testing it on yourself, you keep strengthening the connection to yourself. That's one of the major, often unspoken, tenets of any worthwhile discipline or path. It's really about letting go of clutter, which includes facts and information from others, and making space to listen to what's inside.

And information is like crack these days. It's mostly a distraction.

[Acting Like Godot]

Originally Posted by Futhark

Anyone else use exercise to calm down your minds?

Me, definitely.

Of course, the modern Western scientific parlance for this effect is not "calm down your mind". Instead it's called "relieving stress".

[nxomsa]

Supposedly you body produces endorphins when you exercise.

Endorphin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If it makes you feel good, it's probably true!

[Mused]

Originally Posted by Futhark

Does anyone know of any good resources talking about the mental aspects of exercise and how it effects the brain?

I've been reading a book called Brain Rules by John Medina and there is a chapter that discusses how exercise benefits the brain.

Exercise boosts brain power...

[Supertramp]

Hi,
I'll tell you from personal experience that Exercise DOESN'T affect the mind. You heard me right. It doesn't affect your mind even a teeny little bit. However the best way to reap out the maximum from Exercise is to have your Mind affect your Exercises. Let me give some personal example.
I've been into weight training for the past 7 years. Until 5 months back my usual routine would be this : I go into the gym, I workout, lift only as much weight as I can, spend quite some time in the Gym wondering how the Big Guys are able to lift SO MUCH weights. I never even imagined myself thinking of lifting a dumbbell that was only 10 pounds heavier than my usual max. I did break some sweat. I did attain some shape. But they didn't register at an emotional level. But something happened about 5 months ago that changed my perspective radically.
I became an ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER MANIAC as I stumbled into the movie Pumping Iron. I was so super-charged by Arnold that I devoured almost every available Arnold videos on Youtube. He talks about having your Mind take control of your Body. I then entered the Gym with an Attitude - with a killer attitude to lift more weights than I had the previous day. As proposed by Arnold, I visualized what my body wanted to look like and I was too busy lifting heavy weights and imagining my muscles pump up and fill the room that I didn't even notice the Big Guys in the Gym any more even though they were still roaming around like Trolls.
It's a mutual benefit system. If you put a lot of mind while you exercise, at the end, your mind will reap a lot from the sheer attitude, the positive mental state and not to mention the PUMP that you experience from a hard workout, which according to Arnold, is second to none, in terms of pure corporeal pleasure, even an Orgasm
This is how I approach my regular Bodybuilding Sessions :
I go to the Gym remembering one sentence from Arnold- that it's the last 2 or 3 reps that count.
I talk to the heavy weights just to psyche myself before lifting them - jsut like Ronnie Coleman does - "Light Weight Baby!!"(Most of the times the nearest guy would ask me what. I would say I'm talking to these weights and he would never be near me after that)
Steve has a word here - In this article he says that Dumbbells aren't objectively heavy. The heaviness is a subjective thing. And so I again talk to the weights - "You ain't heavy dear. you're just a peanut to me" and then lift them with great momentum thinking that I'm lifting a 100 pound Dumbbell and then the Magic happens!! I could do at least 5 or 6 reps unassisted, but previously I wouldn't have imagined I could lift such weights.(Of course, you have to do all this talkings only to the weights that are 10 or 15 pounds heavier than your present max)
After an awesome workout, I leave Gym literally laughing aloud inside me with pleasure. It's that satisfying!
The Key - Your Mind.

For guys, I'd recommend Arnold's Book, The Education of a Bodybuilder. It's everything about Mind over body thing.

[Lakshyayidhi Lakshmihi]

I use exercise to calm the eff down. Last night I strapped my son in the jogging stroller and went on a 3 mile jog and felt awesome afterward. Ended up cleaning for 2 hours after that.

And NO I wasn't running for the shelter of mother's little helper. LMAO.

I don't necessarily get that benefit all the time from yoga, but my meditative practice can be weird sometimes.

[ginkgo]

It is common knowledge about the endorphins produced while exercising.

Wikipedia says:

Endorphins ("endogenous morphine") are endogenous opioid peptides that function as neurotransmitters.[1] They are produced by the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus in vertebrates during exercise,[2] excitement, pain, consumption of spicy food, love and orgasm,[3][4] and they resemble the opiates in their abilities to produce analgesia and a feeling of well-being.

The term "endorphin" implies a pharmacological activity (analogous to the activity of the corticosteroid category of biochemicals) as opposed to a specific chemical formulation. It consists of two parts: endo- and -orphin; these are short forms of the words endogenous and morphine, intended to mean "a morphine-like substance originating from within the body."[5]

Of course yoga produces some extra chemicals while it stimulates different glands and stretches the spine. Dr Oz has his patients do yoga.

[WarrenG]

Great topic. I'm a big believer in movement and the research on this is pretty crazy.

Probably the most comprehensive coverage is a book called 'Spark'.

Read that book or a similar one and you'll find yourself saying "GET OFF THE COUCH AND MOVE AROUND!" a lot to people.

It improves mood, numerous cognitive functions including learning (better than any brain trainer programs), reduces the risk of Alzheimer's (by 50%!) and age-related memory loss, reduces stress/calms your mind down, reduces the stress response to future stressors (that is, makes you more resilient), not to mention the health benefits, immune function, reduced risk of heart disease, cancer, etc.

If there was a drug that did everything exercise does, people would walk miles every day to get it. Ironic.

[LostMyMap]

Originally Posted by Lakshyayidhi Lakshmihi

I use exercise to calm the eff down. Last night I strapped my son in the jogging stroller and went on a 3 mile jog and felt awesome afterward. Ended up cleaning for 2 hours after that.

And NO I wasn't running for the shelter of mother's little helper. LMAO.

I don't necessarily get that benefit all the time from yoga, but my meditative practice can be weird sometimes.

Absa freaking lutely! It was the mental health aspects of working out that finally helped me overcome my ongoing procrastination for exercise. I cannot even begin to tell you the difference it makes. It absolutely makes me feel happier, calmer, less aggressive or angry, more focused, sleep better, etc etc etc.

Works for me!