{"id":19537,"date":"2013-09-30T20:22:26","date_gmt":"2013-10-01T04:22:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/?p=19537"},"modified":"2013-10-02T12:01:36","modified_gmt":"2013-10-02T20:01:36","slug":"working-out-just-30-minutes-will-make-happier","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/working-out-just-30-minutes-will-make-happier\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Working Out for Just 30 Minutes Will Make You Happier"},"content":{"rendered":"
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You\u2019ve heard it before: Regular exercise can do wonders for both your body and mind.<\/p>\n

On paper, working out regularly sounds like a fantastic idea. You\u2019ll look better and feel better; you\u2019ll become a new person. But life gets in the way \u2014 job, family, sleep, etc. Suddenly, you just don\u2019t have time because you have priorities far more important than trekking to the gym.<\/p>\n

For those of you short on time, here\u2019s some motivation: It only takes 30 minutes of exercise to induce the benefits of a workout. And for a little extra motivation, those 30 minutes will have a positive impact on the rest <\/i>of your day.<\/p>\n

Not yet ready to move priorities around? Let me explain.<\/p>\n

The Value of a 30-Minute Workout<\/b>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

A lot of people mistakenly think that in order to get the full benefits of working out, they must spend hours sweating it out at the gym \u2014 not true.<\/p>\n

New York Times bestselling author Gretchen Reynolds wrote a book on the matter entitled \u201cThe First 20 Minutes.\u201d The book explains that the highest level of health benefits come in the first 20 minutes of physical activity because that\u2019s when the brain reacts to trigger important health benefits \u2014 benefits that help you work toward a more productive and energetic day.<\/p>\n

Specifically, the benefits of a 30-minute workout include:<\/p>\n

An increase in productivity:<\/b> The more you exercise, the more your body will produce ATP, a chemical your body uses as energy. This increase in energy will result in a boost to your overall energy level, mental output, and productivity throughout the day.<\/p>\n

An increase in happiness:<\/b> It only takes 20 minutes for the brain to produce endorphins, which cause that exercise-induced rush of happiness. In addition to endorphins, working out also triggers neurotransmitters, such as dopamine \u2014 the \u201cfeel good,\u201d mood-boosting chemical.<\/p>\n

Enhanced immunity to stress:<\/b> Within 20 minutes of exercise, the brain has also recognized your increased heart rate as stress. To protect itself, the brain releases a protein called BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), which protects you from current and future stress.<\/p>\n

A reduced risk of depression:<\/b> Recent studies show that exercise can be used to reduce depression. This is partially due to the BDNF protein, which not only protects the brain from stress, but also from emotional disorders, such as depression.<\/p>\n

As you can see, all of these benefits begin to tie together \u2014 happier people are often more productive, people who aren\u2019t easily susceptible to stress are less likely to be depressed, etc. Other benefits that tie into exercising regularly include:<\/p>\n