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Ever noticed how your body feels when youre under stress? Your muscles may be tense, especially in your face, neck, and shoulders, leaving you with back or neck pain, or painful headaches. You may feel a tightness in your chest, a pounding pulse, or muscle cramps. You may also experience problems such as insomnia, heartburn, stomachache, diarrhea, or frequent urination. The worry and discomfort of all these physical symptoms can in turn lead to even more stress, creating a vicious cycle between your mind and body. Exercising is an effective way to break this cycle. As well as releasing endorphins in the brain, physical activity helps to relax the muscles and relieve tension in the body. Since the body and mind are so closely linked, when your body feels better so, too, will your mind.

When you do aerobic exercise, you feed your brain with valuable nutrients and oxygen, improving cognitive function. After exercise, you tend to feel more focused, alert and able to complete the tasks of the day more efficiently, thus improving your self-esteem

From improving endurance to losing weight and increasing muscle tone, there no shortage of physical achievements that come about from regular exercise. All those achievements can all add up to a whopping boost of self-esteemand the confidence that comes with it. You may not set out for better-fitting clothes, a slimmer physique, and the ability to climb a hill without getting winded. Oftentimes it happens before you even realize it. Its just one of the many benefits of physical activity that boost your body, mind, and spirit.

Endorphins, right? The link between exercise and happiness has been well-studied, and the results are very positive (just like you may feel after a sweat session). One study from the University of Vermont found that just 20 minutes of exercise can boost your mood for 12 hours. Plus, research published in the journal PLoS One using activity data from more than 10,000 people found that those who engaged in more physical activity during the week felt happier than those who performed less. Cardio and strength training can both give you a lift, and 30 to 60 minutes of exercise three to five days a week is optimal for mood benefits, according to the U.S. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.