How Exercise Makes You More Optimistic

People who exercise all the time may seem like they’re faking happiness — after all they have to get sweaty, it takes up time in their day and they’re sore. So why would they be smiling?

Well, according to a new study there is something called a cascade of positive events, and it’s why people seem so dang happy after they workout, even a day later.

A new survey points to evidence that working out makes people enjoy being around others. People are often more productive after exercise – often finishing projects. And they report being happier the next day even if they don’t hit the gym again.

Now, these are just surveys so it’s hard to guarantee that all of this is accurate. Maybe the people who exercise are just happier people for some other reason. At Cardio High we’ve learned a couple of things. If we skip a day of getting the cardio buzz, we are definitely a little grumpier. We’ve also learned that there are some people who really dislike exercise while they are doing it. Their favorite part of the workout is the ending. We craft our programming to increase the odds that every client will experience the joy of intensity. We start with very slow simple movements that even the grumpiest exercise hater might enjoy. Then we very slowly sneak in a little cardio once the body is a bit warmed up. We also use tricks like distractions or micro cardio bursts.

So when you finish exercising and find everything else being a little brighter, and your work going a little smoother, it may not be a coincidence.

-Shane M.