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Though you can’t run away from all your problems, jogging can certainly give you some distance from a few of them. Almost everyone knows that some exercise is going to be crucial for getting in shape physically, but science has shown that working out can work similar wonders for your mental health. As long as a muscle or ligament hasn’t been torn, most people report being in a better state of mind after going on a run or getting a good workout in at the gym.
A summary analysis published this year documenting 36 studies found that engaging in long-term exercise (over 6 weeks) significantly diminished symptoms of anxiety and depression in college students (Li et al., 2025). Another summary analysis from last year found similar results across a broader range of studies, and even concluded that jogging and strength training could have anti-depressive benefits equal in strength to traditional pharmaceuticals in some individuals (Harris, 2024). Why does exercise have such a strong impact on well-being? Let’s talk about 10 science-backed reasons that can give us all some extra motivation to put in a few more miles this week.
1. Short-Term Gains – Endorphins and the Runner’s High
Exercise can cause discomfort, and your body has a biochemical solution in place to combat that. With vigorous exercise comes the release of endorphins, which are naturally produced opioids that reduce pain and give a little euphoric lift. These, along with a plethora of other stress-relieving compounds released with exertion, play a part in creating the “runner’s high” many athletes experience after a cardio workout. Likewise, exercising boosts neurotransmitters often deficient in anxiety and depression, including serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. That’s part of the reason why working out, or even taking a quick walk, can act as a makeshift “reset button” for your mood.
2. Improved Sleep
A bad night of sleep can be enough to ruin your day, and a string of these nights can lead to more long-term struggles with wellbeing. One of several ways to combat struggles with insomnia is to engage more in physical exercise. Physical exertion helps modulate circadian rhythms, making it easier to drift off to sleep and stay out until morning comes. Studies have shown that people who engage regularly in exercise tend to fall asleep faster (or have a lower sleep latency), spend more time in the deep sleep stages needed to feel refreshed when waking up, and overall have fewer instances of insomnia episodes. If you’re struggling to get more than six hours of sleep per night, consider doing a workout in the morning or afternoon (not right before bed!) to make slipping into dreams a little easier.
3. Normalization of the Stress Axis
Chronic stress, both physiologic and mental, tends to mess with the balance of a crucial hormonal axis in your body: the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Under stress, this axis involving the brain and pituitary gland becomes overstimulated and releases an excess amount of an inflammatory hormone called cortisol. Physical activity normalizes the balance of the HPA axis after briefly stimulating it, leading to a wide array of effects that includes a calmer mind.
4. A Sense of Routine
Despite requiring you to take time out of your day for it, exercise can help you spend the rest of your day efficiently by creating a firm anchor for a daily routine. It’s easier to manage your time and sense of control when you have a strong routine set up that’s proven to be effective in getting you through difficult times in the past. Having a designated time for working out, whether it be first thing in the morning or during an afternoon break, is a great way to get this kind of routine established.
5. Helps Combat Addiction and Cravings
Exercise can act as a healthy replacement behavior when urges strike. While helpful in boosting mood through dopamine and serotonin modulation, exercise’s greatest strength against cravings is its ability to divert attention away from the mental “pull” of addictions through physical exertion. Exercise is by no means a cure-all for substance use disorders, but it’s one of several powerful tools that can prove useful in the backpack of supplies needed to combat these complex conditions.
6. Physical Stamina Becomes Mental Stamina
No one starts their fitness journey as an ironman-ready athlete. Increasing physical fitness develops endurance, a process that, while painful, tends to lead to improved muscular fitness, cardiovascular health, and even better sleep hygiene. Outside of these physical benefits, the endurance developed has a tendency to translate into mental grit. All the time you dedicate to physically training your body might also train your brain to be more effective in handling assignments at school, workplace demands, and the daily craziness of life in general.
7. Improved Memory, Focus, and General Cognitive Function
As you read this now, your heart is doing the immeasurably important task of pumping blood everywhere to your body, carrying the nutrients and compounds necessary to keep every one of your organ systems functioning. That includes your brain. Exercising boosts your heart’s output and will consequently raise the amount of blood flowing to your brain in a given period of time. This boost stimulates the release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that potentiates new neuron growth (neurogenesis) and strengthens synapses between existing neurons (neuroplasticity). BDNF is especially high in areas like the hippocampus, an area of the brain that plays an essential role in memory and learning. Better blood flow also helps wash out waste like amyloid-beta, a key culprit in Alzheimer’s disease. Collectively, this means exercise can put your brain in a better state to learn, focus, remember, and stay safe against neurodegeneration.
8. A Prescription for Problem-Solving and Creative Droughts
Have you noticed that a lot of your best ideas come after a change in scenery? Our good friend BDNF is part of the reason we all experience the phenomenon of post-workout clarity. Problem-solving and creative endeavors require the coordination of several areas of the brain, from the sensory-processing temporal lobes to the planning-focused prefrontal cortex. While physical exertion itself increases BDNF release, the change in scenery from a desk or office space to a gym or running trail is another trigger for the protein’s production. If you ever feel like you’ve hit a block in your work, try moving around to a different spot for a few minutes; it might be the random stimulus your brain needs to connect the dots.
9. Opportunities to Connect with a New Community
Exercise doesn’t have to be an endeavor you take up on your own. By joining a run club, hiking group, or yoga class, you can find opportunities to make new friends through the shared pain of workouts. Having social support is essential to keeping mental health intact, so exercising with a new community can be a great way to check two essential boxes of the wellbeing regimen.
10. A Boost to Self-Esteem
Exercise provides a lot of challenges: the time needed to commit to regularly engaging in it, the mental fortitude necessary to willingly put oneself in uncomfortable situations, the endurance demanded to suffer through more than a few minutes of strenuous activity. Overcoming these hurdles is something to be proud of, and conquering the difficulty curve needed to get into a habit of regular exercise can work wonders for your self-esteem. Each run, hike, or set at the gym reminds you that you are capable of growth. Over time, these small victories translate into lasting improvements in confidence and self-esteem. If you can conquer the trail, you can tackle life’s other challenges, too. Of course, running a half-marathon won’t prepare you for your midterms or get you the promotion you’ve been shooting for at work, but it can help contribute to the self-respect needed to keep enduring when life becomes demanding.
Conclusion
Exercise’s utility goes beyond keeping your body in shape: it’s an incredibly powerful tool for keeping our mental health intact. From boosting mood in the short-term, to improving our brain’s neuroplasticity over time, to providing opportunities to go outside and find new communities, physical activity provides benefits across nearly every notable facet of psychological well-being. Of course, overexerting yourself can lead to its own set of problems. Since every person’s body is different, it’s important to consult with your doctor when starting an exercise routine, both to ensure it’s safe and to determine when additional mental health resources may be needed beyond physical activity. You don’t need to run a marathon or deadlift 400 pounds to see the benefits of exercising. Even small amounts of regular exercise, like a daily 30-minute walk, can be very helpful; the most important factor is consistency. Whether it’s training at the gym, lifting weights at home, or taking a walk through the beautiful mountains of Crestline, your mind will thank you as much as your body.
Resources
Some popular trails in Crestline are linked here.
Lake Gregory Regional Park offers trails, dog parks, and areas to set up picnics.
Local Gyms: Elite Altitude Training Center, Arrowhead Fitness
References
1. Li, J., Zhang, L., & Yu, F. (2025). The intervention effect of long-term exercise on depression and anxiety in college students: A three-level meta-analysis. BMC Psychology, 13(1), 701. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-03009-z
2. Harris, E. (2024). Meta-analysis: Exercise as effective as therapy for treating depression. JAMA, 331(11), 908. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2024.1121
3. Mahindru, A., Patil, P., & Agrawal, V. (2023). Role of physical activity on mental health and well-being: A review. Cureus. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.33475
4. Alnawwar, M. A., Alraddadi, M. I., Algethmi, R. A., Salem, G. A., Salem, M. A., & Alharbi, A. A. (2023). The effect of physical activity on sleep quality and sleep disorder: A systematic review. Cureus, 15(8), e43595. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.43595