How Exercise Can Transform Your Mental Health at College

College is stressful. No duh. When there seems to NEVER be enough time in the day for a college student, adding a workout to the list doesn’t seem manageable. A lot of people ask me why I crave exercise, and I tell them it’s for my mental health. They look at me like I’m crazy, because who in their right mind enjoys doing a workout? Below are a few things I’ve learned about exercise and its relationship to mental health, as well as other people’s stories of how exercise has benefited their mental well-being at college.

Want to change your perspective on the ways you view exercise to transform your mental health? Consider the following below the next time you decide to workout:

1. Exercise reduces stress levels

Yup, it’s scientific. According to Harvard Health, aerobic exercise reduces levels of stress hormones in the body as well as stimulates the production of endorphins (our body’s natural mood boosters).

When I speak of exercise, I do NOT mean some strenuous workout that leaves you hating the reason you decided to do it in the first place. Instead, I am talking about whatever YOU feel like doing. It could be a walk outside, a YouTube yoga video in the dorm, or a quick 10 minute workout. The reason so many people despise exercise is because they think they have to do an insane workout, when all you should do is listen to your body.

2. Exercise gives you time ALONE

Refocus. Reset. Recharge. Working out has given me the much needed alone time I crave. College is extremely overwhelming, so setting aside just 30 minutes to be with yourself can make a huge difference.

Use exercise as a time to not think about anyone or anything. Consider your workout as time away from the world as well as away from your own thoughts.

Pro tip: blast your music so loud even you can’t hear yourself think. This goes to all my people whose minds never stop wandering, no matter how bad we want it to.

3. Exercise is an outlet

Sometimes when the stress gets to be too much, I’ll put on shoes and simply run away from it all. Using exercise as an outlet for anxiety or stress can provide immediate relief.

“Exercising has always been a good way for me to get out of my own head, especially at school. During Covid it’s also helped not only in my fitness, but also getting fresh air and making sure to move and not get stuck in my apartment,” Gabby Alecia, a junior at Elon and fitness guru on Instagram, explains.

When I started listening to how my body actually wanted to move, exercise transformed my life. I no longer cared as much about the calorie burn, but cared more about the way I felt. Noticing the ways in which exercise improved my mental well-being changed my perspective on why I workout.

The next time you decide to do a workout, don’t think of it as another item to check off your lengthy to-do list, but approach it as time for yourself. Trust me, your mind will be happy for the time off.