The importance of muscle health in emotional health
To enjoy a good quality of life it is important to have strong and healthy muscles. Muscles produce and release compounds that have a relevant role in the activation and distribution of some immune cells.
How can we take care of our muscles?
- Work force. Performing strength exercise on a regular basis helps to strengthen muscles. It is advisable to dedicate at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise a week.
- Healthy nutrition. Muscles are built based on what we eat, that is why it is very important to maintain a healthy diet, especially including proteins, since they are what help to build defense substances and maintain immune cells.
- Work on flexibility. Maintaining good levels of joint range of motion facilitates the production of force in everyday actions and in sports gestures.
- Take care of our body posture, both when sitting, walking or sleeping. It is very important to keep the spine in good condition. For example, for this, we can help ourselves with pillows to sleep comfortably in the fetal position.
The importance of muscle health in emotional health
Regular, moderate physical activity improves health, not only physical, but also mental and emotional. Physical exercise revolutionizes neurotransmitters, increasing the concentration of dopamine and serotonin, thus causing a feeling of well-being.
During the practice of physical exercise, the muscles generate myokines, signaling signals that interrelate with other organs. The myokines are responsible for regulating muscle differentiation, proliferation and regeneration.
Regarding communication with the brain, these myokines help the creation of new neuronal cells, neuronal plasticity and regulate the feeling of satiety.
On the other hand, when we train, the muscle secretes metabolites that directly affect the expression of certain enzymes and hormones that regulate kynurenine, a metabolite of tryptophan that may be involved in the pathophysiology of depression.
Stimulation of BDNF secretion
BDNF or Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor is a protein that stimulates neuronal cell growth and differentiation, neuronal plasticity, hippocampal function, and cognition.
BDNF promotes the plastic capacity of the brain so that it can better adapt to situations and change depending on the environment. Well, physical activity is one of the effective resources to increase neurotrophin levels.