Mind-Body Connection | Moody Melon Magazine

The Psychology of Motion: Why Moving Your Body Helps Calm Your Mind

Chris Spadaccino | Crisis Counselor | Guest Writer
1 day ago

Moving your body helps calm the mind by shifting your brain chemistry, reducing stress, and easing anxious thoughts. Even simple, gentle movement can interrupt overwhelm—moving your body helps calm your nervous system and bring you back into the present moment.

The Psychology of Motion: Why Moving Your Body Helps Calm Your Mind

We often treat the mind and body as separate, but the moment you start moving, walking, stretching, or pacing, your brain chemistry shifts almost instantly. Anxiety eases. Focus returns. Stress drops. This article explores why motion is one of the most reliable ways to quiet a busy mind, breaking down the psychology and science behind the mind–body connection while offering practical tools you can use at home.

The Science Behind Movement and Mood

When exercising, you notice that your breathing becomes heavier and your heart beats faster. In addition to these sensations, you may also begin to notice a change in mood, decreased pain, and a lower stress level. This happens because exercising is a controlled form of stress, unlike day-to-day stress, your brain knows that the physical stress has a limited time frame. Therefore, your brain releases endorphins, a natural chemical produced by the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, intended to reduce pain, create a sense of resilience, and increase calm. After the workout, your body enters a state of rest and recovery, which calms while providing a sense of accomplishment. That sense of accomplishment is due to the release of dopamine, the brain's reward system, providing you with a sense of relief that the physically straining task is over, and a feeling of pride for completing it. All of these sensations don’t need to come from a time-consuming or overly straining exercise routine either. They can be from simple everyday motion.

Small Movements, Big Mental Shifts

You don’t need to go through a full workout to get these benefits from motion. Every day, physical activities can be enough to aid your brain in producing the “feel-good” chemicals. Here are some practical examples of movements that aren’t too time-consuming, but helpful in breaking anxious thought-loops. A quick 5-minute walk, especially if you are able to change your environment to one that is outside, is a great way of resetting your mood. Slow movements like stretching or pacing can calm the nervous system and ease physical tension tied to stress. Pairing that movement with timed breathing, like inhaling during a stretch, and exhaling while letting go, can add to the calm that stretching already brings. There are even low-energy options, such as shaking out your arms, rolling your shoulders, and doing body-weight squats can ease anxiety and aid in re-focusing. A common misconception is that intensity is the key, but what really matters is consistency to create a reliable mental reset.

Click to Learn About The Power of Gratitude: How Being Thankful Can Transform Your Mental Health

A Real-Life Example: Using Motion in High-Stress Moments

Let’s take a scenario with which many of us are familiar. Whether you’re a student or working, there’s been a day when deadlines are closing in and the stress feels too overbearing. Your brain starts to feel foggy, and it begins to become difficult to concentrate. There’s no time for a full workout, hardly even a long break. Next time, when something like this occurs, take some time for yourself. Get up and roll your shoulders back, maybe even go for a short 2-minute walk down the hall, or if you can’t, in your room. As you move, your breath will deepen, your muscles will relax, and the anxious thoughts will begin to fade. You now have a new sense of calmness and are ready to get through the day. In this scenario, there wasn’t an intense, time-consuming workout; just simple movements were enough to break the stress loop and bring about a feeling of calm.

Click to Learn About How to Stay Connected When Stress Feels Like Abandonment

Movement as a Mental Health Tool

Movement isn’t just something we do to stay in shape, it’s one of the most accessible tools we have for managing our mental state. Even a few minutes of walking, stretching, or everyday motion can shift brain chemistry, quiet stress, and bring you back into your body when your mind is overloaded. You don’t need a gym, a schedule, or a perfect routine. All you need is a moment and a willingness to move. In a world that constantly demands our attention, these small resets help us to quiet the noise. When you understand the psychology of motion, you realize that calming your mind often starts with something as simple as taking the first step.

Reference:

Johns Hopkins Medicine. (n.d.). The truth behind ‘runner’s high’ and other mental benefits of running. Retrieved December 3, 2025, from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-truth-behind-runners-high-and-other-mental-benefits-of-running

💬 Ready to start your own healing journey?

Book a session with one of our compassionate therapists at Moody Melon Counseling. We’re here when you’re ready. 🍉

[Schedule Now]

Chris Spadaccino

Crisis Counselor | Guest Writer of Moody Melon Magazine

I’m a junior at Texas State University majoring in Psychology. I’m passionate about supporting others on their mental health journeys and deeply believe that no matter where someone starts, with belief and effort, they can grow into something greater than they ever imagined.

linkedin

Overcoming Mental Health Struggles Through Running: Embracing the Journey of Patience and Persistence

Rowena Poole | Mental Health Advocate | Guest Writer
Apr 8

Your mind and your body are connected. They are what make you... you! With this knowledge, it makes sense that they can affect each other. Poor mental decisions may affect you physically. Great physical decisions can help boost your mood. Physical exercise not only keeps your body in shape, but it can also help keep your mind in check too.

Overcoming Mental Health Struggles Through Running: Embracing the Journey of Patience and Persistence

By the time I was a sophomore in college, I had been struggling with anxiety and depression for nearly six years. At this point in my life, my depression only spiked once in a blue moon. But it was still there, at a baseline level, every single day. The main struggle I had was trying to find small joys in everyday life. I found myself crestfallen most days, with no real reason. I decided to give running a try. Getting lost in a run helps clear my mind. I can simply drain out the world. All the worries could melt—even if only while moving.

The Struggles With Running

I never considered myself super athletic. I still don’t. But I had been told in my youth that I have an excellent runner’s stride. There was a gym on campus with several treadmills. With my childlike hope, I stepped onto the treadmill, and I ran for the first time in a while. I ran out of breath very quickly, but I knew everybody needed to build up their miles. I tried to stay as hopeful and determined as I could for a long time. But for some reason, something would always go wrong in my body. I seldom ran out of breath anymore. That was something I could deal with. Instead, I was greeted with cramps or nausea. On lucky days, I could run a mile, but it was not something I could do consistently. I felt like a failure—like I couldn’t even do one of the most basic things humans are built for. I tried different tactics and pulled advice from several health professionals. I would fuel up before a run, I would not eat, I would use the bathroom before, I would stretch... but there was nothing that made a constant difference. So did I give up? Of course, I did! Several different times.

Frustration and Defeat

This thing, running, this very simple activity, was supposed to help my mental health. Yet somehow, it only ever made me upset. I was frustrated with myself and angry at my body. I was doing it a favor, yet it never gave me the endorphins I yearned for. I tried again with a new hope for a different result. But the cramps and nausea would be waiting for me like an alligator with its mouth open. I wanted so badly to make it work. I wanted to smack that alligator clean across the face. But how exactly does one even go about that? An alligator is not a creature you can provoke, and getting rid of bodily annoyances is not an easy feat with a simple answer. I felt completely defeated. I was defeated by my own body—for doing something good for it no less! How dare it betray me like this? How dare it fall apart and crumble instead of bearing a slight discomfort for a greater good? So I gave up again. I had an on-again-off-again relationship with running for several years. I wanted so badly to make it work. I wanted to be a runner- to call myself a runner. The fantasy of the title kept the hobby loosely in my grasp.

The Breakthrough

The important thing here is that I never gave up entirely. I never looked at a treadmill with disgust—only desire and a tad bit of jealousy. One day I had finished a strength training workout. I had a nice long stretch. I checked the time. There were still about twenty minutes until I had to be home to get ready for work. I shrugged and decided to give it a whirl. I stepped onto the treadmill and gradually increased my speed. I kept it at five miles per hour—a nice and steady pace. Slow, but quick enough for me to jog. Breathe through your nose, I remembered. I ran a mile. I could not believe the jubilation that was running through my body.

I was cautious going forward. Taking note of everything I had done, I did it again on my next gym day: weights, stretch, nice and easy run. I stayed on the treadmill to keep track of my pace and ensure I wasn’t going too quickly. I find that for me, running on an empty stomach is best. Breathing through your nose helps preserve your breath. I ran another mile. Then I was at three. Motivation kicked in, as it often does following action. I wanted to challenge myself further. Soon enough, I was able to run on solid ground.

My body had finally gotten used to running. All I had to do was start over and slow down. The mental benefits of running? I find myself chipper on the days that I run. I’m smiling now while I’m moving instead of internally scolding myself for not being enough.

Embracing the Journey

It’s never easy to start something new. It’s totally frustrating when you keep trying, and nothing works. But I have learned that it is all about building. Start slow, build tolerance, and never compare your personal progress to anyone else’s. Your journey is yours. The most helpful tool you can take with you is self-compassion. Be patient, stay determined, understand your body, and be kind to it. The mind and body are connected. Listen to what they tell you. New journeys can be long and arduous. When things get tough, remember why you started and keep the end in sight. Keep moving forward; even if you must crawl, continue to move. Don’t ever be afraid to start from the beginning. Trying a new approach is still progress. Every step, even baby steps, brings you forward.