73% of Brits claim they feel better after exercise, with 83% admitting that working out lifts their mood according to new research.
The research from Snap Fitness has revealed that running on the treadmill for 20 minutes is the best exercise to keep you happy whilst nearly half of those surveyed (47%) say it helps to clear their heads and improve mental health.
The most enjoyed exercises that make us the happiest were revealed as yoga, cycling, lifting weights and running and the average Brit experiences 81 minutes of happiness after cycling, 80 after swimming and 85 after a yoga session.
The average feel good time after a workout has been revealed as 39 minutes. And it’s not just the moves you do that make you happy when exercising as eight in 10 participants have suggested that listening to music while exercising further lifts their mood.
Pop music was revealed as the most popular choice for an endorphin boost (54%), followed by rock (36%) – with the mellow tones of folk proving to be the least popular (11%).
Neuroscientist and psychology lecturer Dr Ben Webb comments: “Any cardiovascular exercise – such as running and cycling – which are paired with periods of high intensity, will get mood boosting endorphins flowing.
“All exercise – regardless of the intensity or type – will change the brain in a positive way, by promoting the growth of new brain cells and chemicals that affect mood, memory and energy levels. It will also reduce chemicals which put you in a low mood.”
“Music is also good to work out to as most people have an instinct to synchronise their movements to the music, which will come out during exercise.”
Jon Cottam, CEO at Snap Fitness said: “It’s fantastic to see that adults across the country get a happy boost from exercise. Our findings revealed that despite lockdown seeing a rise in home workouts, 1 in 4 still prefer a gym environment to do their exercise.
“The results really show how good an exercise can make us feel. It’s interesting to see that cycling and yoga are amongst the nation’s favourite workout as they are all so contrasting in nature, but that shows different people get happiness from different sports.”
Music can be great for motivation and happiness as you can tailor your workout to the beat, so it’s no surprise people love listening to pop music to spur them on.
“An active lifestyle will get you looking great, but we like to focus on the more important aspect of feeling great, that’s why we’re focused on helping move our members' moods as well as their bodies. We’re so confident in our philosophy that we are offering the Snap Fitness Money Back Guarantee, if you don’t feel fantastic after 30 days, working out a minimum of eight times, we’ll refund you.”
The findings mark the launch of the Happy-fit-ness experience, which consists of a reinvention of the HiiT workout focusing on Happy intensifying interval training and a playlist, designed to boost your workout mood.
Find out more and download the playlist at www.snapfitness.co.uk/happy-fit-ness.
