Perk Yourself Up with Exercise

Exercise makes you feel happy.

A 15-minute exercise session each day is enough to boost mood and endorphins, get your heart rate up, improve your stress levels, and help regulate your hormones. It also puts stress on your brain so it's able to handle life better.

A recent study assessed the effect of exercise on mood. One group exercised and the other didn't. The two groups watched emotional film scenes. The exercisers felt less sad and could shake sadness sooner after the downer film clips. They also felt happier longer from comedic clips.

People don't crash from naturally-created hormones, so you don't have to worry about coming down from your exercise high. In fact, the feelings created by exercise can be addictive and make you want more.

If you're feeling down, hop on your exercise bike or go for a jog. You can stimulate hormones to make you feel less funky.

Dr. John Higgins joins host Melanie Cole, MS, to discuss how exercise can perk you up.