Exercise makes you happy

In a new American study published in The Lancet, researchers followed over 1 million Americans from 2011-2015. They found something that won’t come as a surprise to anyone who exercises regularly.

Being active makes you happier than money.

Researchers found that physically active people felt as good as people who weren’t active but earned $25,000 more annually.

You would need to earn much more money to get the same mood improvements that you get from being active.

Exercise has all kinds of mental and emotional health-promoting effects. Including; reducing depression, improving self-confidence, increasing the number of neurons, reducing stress, improving memory, reducing anxiety and improving self-esteem.

Other studies have shown that exercise is as effective as medications, without the negative side-effects.

Assuming that you earn enough to provide the basics. That you don’t have to worry about food, shelter or other necessities, more money doesn’t improve happiness. Being active does, but we consistently trade our activities for dollars.

What is your time worth?

Is it worth sacrificing your health? Or your relationships? Is it worth more stuff? Is it worth your happiness?

Many studies have explored the relationship between being physically active with improved mental and emotional health. Now there is more evidence that trading our time for money is not improving the quality of our lives. Even though we are constantly being bombarded with messages that tell us that we can’t be happy without all the stuff.

But we still do it.

Trading our time for money, prestige or more material goods isn’t helping us live happier or healthier lives. The self-help/happiness industry is worth $10 billion. In 2016 in the US alone, people spent over $446 billion on medications for anxiety and depression.

Unhappiness is big business

Perhaps it is one business that is not interested in helping people change. A little like the weight loss industry. Sell people on a radical diet and then when they invariably fail, sell them on a new diet. If this happiness solution doesn’t work, don’t worry there is always medication.

The promises, and the appeal, of an easy solution, are everywhere. In both cases, happiness and weight loss, the solutions involve the same thing. Exercise to feel better about yourself and when you feel better about yourself, looking after yourself is easier.

Exercise, really is the answer, no matter what the question.

Change your mind, change your health,

Shayla