Making a habit of exercising with your family is important for everyone's physical health, but staying active can also make everyone feel good as well. When your family works up a good sweat on your home basketball court, their brains release chemical endorphins, which can slow down the transmission of pain signals and create a euphoric effect.
Also, the neuron receptors that endorphins bind to are about the same as those produced by pain medications, meaning exercise is like mother nature’s aspirin. So your family can rely on the body to treat itself.
Frequent Exercise
But family members can’t just get their blood pumping every once in awhile to experience positive effects. Studies show that exercise must be regular habit for those mood enhancing endorphins to really give your brain a boost.
If some in your crowd suffers from long or short-term bouts of the blues, exercise is a great alternative to antidepressants. Studies have proven that exercise is just as effective against depression as medication and can help people stay happier for longer.
The Key to Wellness
Why spend your family's hard-earned money at the doctor’s office and the pharmacy if all everyone needs is a pair of athletic shoes and a home basketball court? Scientists suspect that exercise helps raise serotonin levels in the brain, the chemical responsible for helping us regulate our moods.
Others think that regular exercise supports the growth of neurons, those tiny cells in your brain that control functions like your senses and muscle movements. Staying active supports regular sleep habits, so your family can wake each morning feeling rested and ready to meet the challenges of a new day.
If a family member is prone to anxiety attacks but regularly get outside for family exercise on your home basketball court, they are far less likely to experience symptoms. Also, if anxiety disorder runs in your family, you can slow or reverse symptoms by taking time to play a game of hoops everyday.
So get out with your family, get sweaty and feel great!