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Exercise equates to greater happiness, study finds

A lot of social media users nowadays post their “gym activity” satisfaction online, sometimes using the hashtag fitstagram (#fitstagram) for example to emboss and highlight their sweaty jeans and shirts, usually posing sexy tweaks for women, and bulky images for men. This kind of hobby allows some people to gain more confidence in their personality and to have positive outlooks in life. But how?

According to Yale and Oxford research, exercise is more important to mental health than any economic status, thus contributes to having a happy and peaceful life.

In the study published in “The Lancet,” scientists collected data about the physical behavior and mental mood of more than 1.2 million samples.

The study said, “three to five training sessions, each lasting between 30 to 60 minutes, are ideal per week. The mental health of those participants who exercised for longer than three hours a day suffered more than that of those who weren’t particularly physically active.”

Active lifestyle also involves socializing according to the research. This involves team sports, which contributes to having physical effect on mental health.

Filipino neurologist Alejandro Bimbo Diaz supported the idea of exercise that contributes to the happiness.

“Physical exercise is very good for brain health which include happiness and contentment. They say that the monetary upper threshold for happiness is equivalent to $75K.More than that doesn’t spell more happiness,” Dr. Diaz claimed.

Proactive lifestyle means happiness

Thirty-one years old Malen Flores, an account executive and works in Dubai for five years and a half has a very active lifestyle. She does workout for almost one to two hours per day.

“Maybe because of the health benefits as it controls my weight,” she said. “I also think that exercise combats any health conditions, improves my mood, and it always feels like I’m happy to see changes in my body,” Malen claimed.

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For Malen, exercise helps her to destress everything, keeps herself strong, and healthy in shape. “It gives me happy hormones,” she said.

“You need to be motivated to go to gym. Once you see the result, you’ll be happy,” she added.

Asked about fitstagram, she said that posting her workout activities inspire people and be active in sports.

Meanwhile, financial planner Jay Adrian Tolentino shared that his skinny physical attribute motivated him to go to gym.

“Usually I do cardio for 10 minutes either thread mill or ropes, stretching for 3 minutes, major body parts workout, and then rest,” Jay said.

I also want to be fit while I’m getting old,” Jay explained. “I want to live longer so I can take care of my family and fulfill my life purpose as financial advisor,” he further said.

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Jay also described that exercising keeps him positive, energetic, and smart. But if he doesn’t do any activity, he feels he is sluggish.

Enthusiasm and positive attitude

According to life coach Efren Elane, Sadness is directly correlated to thoughts that precipitated it. Lack of exercise may add to it by lack of energy associated with positive enthusiasm.

“Exercise contributes to happiness by stimulating neurons that keep a person alert and dispose to positive emotions, he said. “Recent clinical studies show that at the bottom of happiness is a stable sense of self-image and self-worth that doesn’t depend on external attachments such as beauty, wealth, connections, power, but simply on one’s sense of personal values,” Efren added.

Elane also claimed that exercise keeps everyone vibrant in a family. And, if done together, a family exercise is indeed a source of greater family bonding and happiness.

“An active lifestyle alone may not occasion a happy living. It’s really our positive thoughts and attitudes that trigger our feeling of well-being,” he said.

“Even unhealthy, stressed, and deprived people rise up above their pessimism and depression by positive, hopeful, and optimistic thoughts. Healthy lifestyle helps but it’s the habit of thoughts that make the most difference. In addition, studies have found that those who are accustomed to sincere praying are much less prone to unhappiness and depression,” Elane further explained.

Photo courtesy: Malen Flores and Jay Adrian Tolentino

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