Hope Molecule: How Movement Can Make You Happy
So, you are telling me that you thought that being engaged in movement only had one benefit and only if you did it until you were sweating your booty off? Well I have some good news – the dancing you do in the mirror at night after you wash your make up off, or when you chase your kid around the backyard for thirty minutes, all types of activity has way more benefits to your health than just simply shredding a few pounds.
Hear me out, what if I told you that your muscles had more power than just lifting your friend’s boxes out of the car into her fourth story dorm room. When we do any type of movement that we are engaged with, for at least 20 to 30 minutes, at any intensity (yes, power walking around the mall DOES count!) our muscles actually produce a chemical that is known as the “Hope Molecule”. The fancy science term is, myokines. These molecules travel to different parts of your body, doing many different things, however some of them make it all the way up to your noggin.
This is your body’s natural “anti-depressant” secretion. This chemical is known to spark feelings of self-accomplishment and hope. The best part is that when you keep on it and stay engaged in movement consistently in life, your brain will become more resilient to stress. Your ability to feel happiness and joy will be heightened and more sensitive! There is a piece of our brains that is called the hippocampus, and this is the part of our brains that is responsible for keeping our precious memories or making important rational, decisions. It has been shown that new brain cells grow during exercise and movement! So not only can exercise be beneficial for losing weight and maintain heart health, but movement is also wonderful for our mental health and regulating our emotions. Next time you are feeling down, try taking a walk or dance around your house for thirty minutes, you will be blown away by the change of your mood!
Take a look at a the videos below for more information on how moving can help your mental health.
