The physical benefits of movement are well documented - maintaining a healthy weight, improved strength and cardiovascular health, reduced risk of diabetes and cancer, and many, many others.
Recent research suggests that moving our bodies can also help us feel more hopeful.
During exercise, as muscles contract, they produce and secrete chemicals called Myokines into the bloodstream. Myokines then travel to the brain, where they cross the blood brain barrier and directly influence brain function, acting as an antidepressant.
Myokines are nicknamed ‘hope molecules’ because they positively impact mental health by potentially reducing stress, improving mood and promoting resilience. At the brain level, Myokines foster feelings of hope and well being. They can also improve our ability to learn, and protect our brains from the effects of aging. While other chemicals like dopamine, noradrenaline, serotonin and endorphins contribute to the feel good effects of exercising, they’re not typically linked to hope.
Hope is essential to envisioning and building a better future, so let’s keep moving our bodies and filling our days with hope.