A private investor in the greater Chicago area, Paul Liska draws on more than forty years of experience as a financial leader at such organizations as Kraft Foods, Oscar Mayer Foods, and St. Paul. Outside of his professional endeavors, Paul Liska enjoys golf and weight training.
Besides physical benefits, weight training also affords numerous mental ones, including the following three:
Reduces Stress and Anxiety
While any kind of exercise can improve mood, weight training contributes to feeling stronger and builds the back and neck muscles, commonly linked with stress. In addition, it results in endorphin release, the body’s natural pain killers and “feel-good” hormones, which also facilitate decreasing the stress hormone cortisol. Lower cortisol levels go on to reduce anxiety.
Improves Brain Health
During physical exercises, the body pumps blood rich in oxygen to the brain, which enhances neuroplasticity, or the latter’s ability to form new neural connections.. Various studies, including a 2016 review published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, have demonstrated that regular exercising, such as consistently lifting weights, has a preventive effect on and delays memory loss or cognitive decline.
Fine-Tunes the Mind-Body Connection
Lifting heavy weights comes with certain risks, which mandates paying attention to how the body responds and having an excellent mind-body connection. When people perform movements and purposefully listen to their bodies about maintaining proper form, the heaviness of the weights or which movements feel good and which do not, they are also practicing body awareness.
Besides physical benefits, weight training also affords numerous mental ones, including the following three:
Reduces Stress and Anxiety
While any kind of exercise can improve mood, weight training contributes to feeling stronger and builds the back and neck muscles, commonly linked with stress. In addition, it results in endorphin release, the body’s natural pain killers and “feel-good” hormones, which also facilitate decreasing the stress hormone cortisol. Lower cortisol levels go on to reduce anxiety.
Improves Brain Health
During physical exercises, the body pumps blood rich in oxygen to the brain, which enhances neuroplasticity, or the latter’s ability to form new neural connections.. Various studies, including a 2016 review published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, have demonstrated that regular exercising, such as consistently lifting weights, has a preventive effect on and delays memory loss or cognitive decline.
Fine-Tunes the Mind-Body Connection
Lifting heavy weights comes with certain risks, which mandates paying attention to how the body responds and having an excellent mind-body connection. When people perform movements and purposefully listen to their bodies about maintaining proper form, the heaviness of the weights or which movements feel good and which do not, they are also practicing body awareness.
