3 Reasons Exercise Improves Your Mental Health

Written By Chris Josh

Like millions of Americans, I had my fair share of depression and anxiety. I saw many doctors and took all sorts of pills. Nothing ever really worked until I worked out. You see, taking a pill didn't get to the root cause of the problem.

The more I complained about my depression and anxiety, the more pills the doctor put me on. In fact, at one point I was on 8 medications plus I had the medical marijuana card to try and alleviate the symptoms. Well, it was all a waste of time and money. 

To make matters worse, I was sent to the ER when the doctor put me on the 9th medication due to hallucinations. I ended up staying at the hospital for a couple of days before I got transferred to another hospital for observations.

I ended up fracturing my arm in the first hospital because I tried to escape. The details are in my book, "City of Serpents." Anyways, since I was the sole income provider and I need both of my hands for work, I decided not to wear a cast.

That proved to be a big mistake as my arm took about a year to heal, instead of the typical 6 weeks it would normally take. So, four months after fracturing it, I was extremely fed up. I had a lot of bottled up energy from lack of movement.

So I decided to sprint up the hill where I used to live. The street was about the size of a New York City avenue. I would sprint with full force to the top, leaning into the hill so I don't fall backwards. Boy was it painful! Any movement and any vibration sent a stabbing pain in my arm, but I absolutely need to move my body.

After I'd get to the top of the hill, I'd walk around while I catch my breath and allow my heart rate to drop. I'd then casually walk down the hill and repeat the process 3 more times.

After the first time of doing these sprints I felt alive and my body felt more relaxed. I was gaining energy, a stark contrast from the lethargy and chronic fatigue. I was instantly hooked!

However, it soon became apparent that running outdoors isn't sustainable due to the elements. So I started doing burpees. They worked just as good and even better. Suddenly I was beginning to have a zest for life. Suddenly I wanted to wake up in the morning. I would go straight to the backyard and sit out in the sun.

I did burpees starting in March of 2021 6 days a week. I still do them till this day without fail, except I started weightlifting as well in September of 2021. I now do 3 sets of 11 reps of burpees. Why 11 reps? Well, at the beginning I would do 10 but sometimes I'd lose count and I decided to add 1 more rep. This way I figured if I goofed the count I at least did 10.

I wake up early and get ready for the gym 6 days a week, except Sundays. I never debate on whether I'm going or not. It's a given. It's a given just like it's a given I'm going to eat, brush my teeth, use the toilet, etc...It's part of my routine and I never ever break my routine for anyone or anything.

The depression is completely gone. The anxiety is gone. My energy levels are through the roof. My motivation is elevated. My productivity is insane. And because I lift weights intensely, everything outside of the gym is a piece of cake. 

I swear by all of this. Believe me, I used to say, "pffft working out? That's for dumbasses! Get the hell out of my face. I'm going to chill right here on the couch. He said go to the gym. Hahaha! Yeah right!" 

I remember reading a book and the author advised to workout in the morning to gain energy and be more productive and I scoffed at the idea. "What a moron, how am I going to gain more energy by exhausting myself in the gym," I thought. It's actually comical now that I think about it. But I wasn't alone. Many people think the same way.

The think about the gym is you gotta start out slow - don't go full force your first couple of weeks. You have to ease into it and build up your strength and stamina. Once you get stronger, the workouts get easier. So instead of joining the gym and running for an hour on your first day, run for 5 minutes. What's the rush? You're going to go to the gym again. You can increase it to 6 minutes next time.

And likewise with weightlifting. Don't do 12 sets of chest and 12 sets of triceps, 10 reps each on your first day. You're going to get crushed and discouraged the following days. Take it easy. Do 2 sets of chest, 5 reps each and 2 sets of triceps, 5 reps each. Take it slow. You want to get used to going to the gym and gradually increase the workload. Rome wasn't built in one day!