There are many benefits of meditation that can help us to live a calm, disciplined and humble life, and we are about to share all of them with you. You may already be aware of the psychological benefits of meditation, but as you’ll see in this article, there are actually an array of physical and health related benefits too.

In this article we will cover:

• What Is Meditation?
• Why Should You Meditate?
• 13 Benefits of Meditation
• FAQs

This article will help you understand the mechanics of this practice so that you can reap the benefits of mindful meditation for a life filled with gratitude and happiness.

But just before we begin, why not make a career out of your passion for health and wellbeing by completing our yoga teacher training courses? Or, learn about the other career options in the fitness industry by checking out our downloadable course prospectus here.

What Is Meditation?

Defining meditation can be tricky due to the sheer versatility of the practice. However, what we can say is that the overall premise of meditation is a set of techniques, all of which are intended to encourage a heightened state of awareness.

Meditation has been practiced over many cultures across the world for thousands of years and its main purpose is to enhance the conscious mind, with the ultimate goal of gaining leadership over your mind and body connection. 

Although there are many different kinds of meditation, there are common denominators throughout many styles, those include:

• A quiet location
• Comfortable posture
• Focus 
• Breathing techniques

Some meditation requires these factors in order for you to feel the main benefits, those of which we will discuss soon. 

Why Should You Meditate?

There are many benefits of regular meditation that can bring real change into your life, whether that be helping with sleep, anxiety, or even addiction.

By practicing meditation, you are ultimately becoming more mindful and more aware of your thoughts, and this is of course one of the most significant mental benefits of meditation. This practice can help to address any anxieties or stress rather than locking them away. In turn, this can help to improve things such as sleep as you have less worries to think about at bedtime.

Overall, if you want an unmedicated journey to happiness, restful sleep and improved wellbeing, you should definitely consider meditation. You should also incorporate a healthy diet! 

Though such mental health benefits are profound and proven worldwide, the often overlooked physical health benefits of meditation are arguably just as impressive. So what are the benefits of meditation? Let’s get stuck in!

13 Benefits of Meditation

#1 Reduces Stress and Anxiety

One of the best benefits of meditation is the influence it has on anxiety and stress. 

Though it may not cure the likes of generalised anxiety disorder, meditation can help to handle the pressures that come along with such diagnosis. One study tested 133 females to measure the stress reduction that can be induced with meditation. In the study, participants learned a simple mantra based meditation technique and were instructed to practice for 15-20 minutes, twice daily.

It was discovered that frequency plays a significant role in the effectiveness of meditation on stress and anxiety. Even brief meditation can improve negative mood and perceived stress in healthy adults, and in turn, promote a healthier physical lifestyle. The benefits were found to be more significant in participants who practiced consistently. 

The simple action of sitting with your thoughts and addressing them, rather than suppressing them, can also be beneficial for reducing stress and anxiety as it allows you to rationalise situations rather than letting your mind run wild.

#2 Improves Sleep

One of the most renowned benefits of meditation is of course the impact it has on sleep. It is a popular practice among those with insomnia-like tendencies as it induces more restful sleep.

For the most part, people who struggle to sleep are kept awake at night by buzzing thoughts running through their mind. However, selecting a set period to practice meditation can address any lingering thoughts so that you can sleep peacefully.

More scientifically, meditation has been found to increase the levels of melatonin in the body, a natural hormone that helps to control your sleep pattern. Though you can be prescribed a synthetic version of melatonin, increasing your natural level is an easier and safer way to introduce a healthy sleep pattern.

Whatsmore, meditation also improves your sleeping pattern by lowering your heart rate, training your body to become more relaxed. This lowered heart rate is something that occurs in the initial sleep stages, and so this relaxing effect helps you to calm the body and mind, allowing you to fall asleep more easily.

Improving sleep starts with letting your body rest, read about the importance of rest days and how many you need here.

#3 Helps Manage Chronic Pain

Want to know more benefits of meditation for your body? Well, one of the lesser known benefits of this practice is that it can even help to manage chronic pain.

Chronic pain management is one of the most important health benefits of meditation. Though some perceive this notion to be nothing more than a belief, it has been backed up by credible research.

The key way that meditation is believed to help manage chronic pain, is by training the brain to handle pain better. Even if you are doubtful of its effectiveness, practicing some different kinds of meditation won’t do you any harm, so if you do suffer from chronic pain, give it a shot. 

The findings of one study even showed evidence that suggested long term meditation is associated with structural changes in the brain. The affected areas were vital for sensory, cognitive and emotional processing, such that the changes of cortical structure identified caused participants to become less pain-sensitive.

Overall, it’s among the most bewildering health benefits of mindfulness meditation, and though it isn’t a cure for chronic pain, it can help to put you in the right mindset and allow you to be at peace with your circumstances.

#4 Decreases Blood Pressure

In regard to the different types of meditation and their benefits, there are particular techniques that can decrease blood pressure. One technique that includes transcendental meditation and mindfulness meditation was actually found to help with hypertension.

In one study where elderly people with systolic hypertension carried out this hybrid type of meditation, it was found that some were able to better control their blood pressure. Some were even able to reduce or eliminate their blood pressure medication all together.

Though more randomised trials are necessary to understand the impact that meditation has on blood pressure, it is a good indicator that the benefits of meditation have the power to impact health in this way.

Don’t forget about one of the best ways to control blood pressure – consistent exercise! 

#5 Keeps You Humble

So, we’ve mentioned a couple of ways that meditation can improve your physical health, but what are the benefits of meditation for improving your overall quality of life? If you want to know more about how meditation can contribute towards a more positive lifestyle, we have good news for you.

For what could be considered as one of the spiritual benefits of meditation, staying humble is a by-product of successful meditative practice.

Meditation forces you to feel gratitude for what you have, particularly things that aren’t materialistic. Daily, we all have thoughts that simply pass us by, this could be thinking about our friends, family, or a partner, but meditation forces us to understand how and why we should feel grateful for these people. 

With most adults in today’s society living such a busy lifestyle, it can be easy to forget about the little things that so many of us take for granted. Whether that is your home, food, or water, one of the key benefits of daily meditation is that it brings you back down to earth and keeps you grounded.

The practice of staying present and feeling appreciation for what you have is what induces many of the spiritual benefits of meditation. You might even find yourself thanking God, or another higher power that you feel connected to.

Meditation and yoga are the perfect partners, so go ahead and read the articles below for guidance on yoga practice: 

• How to Open a Yoga Studio With No Money
• How to Start a Mobile Yoga Business
• How to Write a Yoga Studio Business Plan

#6 Increases Immunity

One of the most valued physical benefits of meditation is that it has positive effects on increasing immunity.

Reviews have suggested that meditation increases the number of CD-4 cells in the body, these cells help in sending signals to other cells, instructing them to kill any infection. 

Moreover, the same reviews found that meditation was associated with indications of reduced markers of inflammation. Since high levels of these markers indicate decreased immune function, this could be used as evidence that meditation boosts immunity. 

So, if you’re somebody who feels like they have a somewhat low immune system, maybe try to incorporate self-help mechanisms, like meditation, into your daily routine. It could be a good idea to incorporate meditation with yoga practice to improve overall health and in turn, boost your immunity further. 

#7 Makes You Happier

One of the benefits of meditation that is arguably the most discussed, is the increase in happiness that comes with regular practice.

When practicing meditation, positivity and overall happiness is increased by a combination of factors, one being the practice of gratitude. Sitting with your thoughts and allowing yourself to concentrate on things such as your friends and family can integrate great happiness and appreciation into your everyday life. 

Moreover, happiness can stem from meditation and can be induced through a reduction of other factors. There are areas of the brain that prompt a stress response or increase our levels of anxiety, and meditation actually has the power to reduce this.

It’s said that meditation reduces the size of the amygdala in our brain, a collection of cells that controls fearfulness and anxiety. The smaller this is, the happier you feel overall! 

Whether you want to reap the benefits of meditation for physical health or mental health, the good news is that there is science that backs up both!

#8 Increases Confidence

By definition, confidence is the feeling or belief that one can have faith in or rely on someone or something. Thus, self confidence is having this feeling of faith in every aspect of yourself.

One of the psychological benefits of meditation is that practicing regularly ultimately calms down the negative thoughts that run through your mind. These may be thoughts of insecurity, such as worrying about what people think of you, or the feeling of embarrassment.

However, meditation can ensure that you focus only on the things that matter. In turn, the mind’s negative intrusive thoughts are slowly but surely, quietened down. The best route to find self love is to get in touch with your inner-self, one of the most valued benefits of mindful meditation. 

This practice intends for you to get to know yourself better, so a good way to compliment your meditation practice is to list the things that you like about yourself, and even ask others what their favourite things about you are! Do this and you’ll soon be thriving in self confidence.

#9 Helps You To Get In Touch With Spirituality

Of course, one of the core spiritual benefits of meditation is that it strengthens the connection with a higher power, whatever that means to the individual who practices. This might be a god, or a belief in a particular energy. There is no restriction on what a higher power can be referred to as it is subjective to the individual.

When you do begin to feel the benefits, you could feel the sense of a presence, awe or transcendence. These feelings can enhance your belief in a higher power and bring great consolation for those suffering from loneliness or simply looking for an extra comfort blanket in their daily life.

What makes the spiritual benefits of meditation unique is the intention behind the practice. During meditation of this kind, there is a goal to connect to a higher power and get in touch with your spirituality, whatever or whoever that may be. 

Though the practice may seem intriguing for first timers, it is recommended that you shouldn’t force a connection that isn’t there yet. A meditative state equates to relaxation and a possible connection to a higher power. 

However, it may take more than one session to feel this connection, some may find they feel it right away while others never do. For that reason, this is one of the more subjective psychological benefits of meditation.

#10 Greater Concentration

Among the proven benefits of meditation is the increase in concentration and focus inflicted on the practitioner. 

There has been research conducted that claims meditation can increase focus and learning concentration, improve memory and attention span, and promote a better sleep. These are all things that can contribute to a better focus on things like work, school and conversation, so it’s clear to see how meditation can benefit concentration.

The general practice of meditating could be described as the repeated process of concentration. In order to conduct meditation successfully, concentration is required on either an object, a thought, or anything that assists you in focusing on one thing at a time.

This continuous practice is bound to intensify the benefits of daily meditation, and the concentration factor can be carried into your everyday life.

As we know, practice makes perfect, so a good tip is to practice focusing on one thing while meditating. You may find that instead of being overwhelmed by thoughts in your everyday life, focusing on the present becomes that much easier.

If you love to meditate, chances are you love yoga! So check out some of the best yoga podcasts to listen to this year, here.

#11 Staying In The Present

One of the great benefits of guided meditation, or any form of meditation for that matter, is the fact that it helps you to stay present in the moment. A lot of anxiety comes from predicting the future and regretting the past, and one of the benefits of meditation for anxiety is that it encourages you to stay in the moment.

This takes practice, but when it’s mastered it can reduce anxiety induced thoughts. This is due to the lack of distress that is caused by predicting the future as typically, our brain creates negative predictions.

There is a particular intention that comes with the benefits of mindful meditation, this is the idea of leaving the past behind and not giving any thought to the future circumstances until it greets you. 

This notion is the ultimate goal when ridding oneself of any anxiety that has been induced solely through being apprehensive of the future. Staying in the present during meditation also promotes forgiveness and closure, so you can make peace with the past and avoid it becoming a part of your present.

#12 Increases Self-Awareness

Defined as the conscious knowledge of one’s own character and feelings, self-awareness encourages a lifestyle where you know your worth, you understand how your feelings work, and you are a present, non-judgemental individual. 

Though broadly speaking on the defintion, self-awareness has many factors and is a good indicator of serenity. So as well as the physical health benefits of meditation, you can feel the advantages of self confidence.

Research has seen subjects who meditate regularly, and those new to the practice enter an MRI scanner to practice mindful self awareness. It was found that the neural correlates of mindfulness were more predominant in those who are experienced meditators.

This neural pattern was seen stronger in less depressed, healthier individuals. Therefore indicating that mindful and self-aware individuals could represent a positive mode of self-perception.

Be sure to practice regularly to take advantage of the mental health benefits of meditation, such as this one! 

#13 Enhances Empathy

If you’re still here because you’re wondering ‘what are the benefits of meditation for emotional enhancement?’, we have the answer!

One of the psychological benefits of meditation is improved empathy, the ability to understand the feelings of another person. Being a more empathetic person enhances your perception of feelings and understanding of other people, arguably making you a better person.

To understand the research that has been done thus far on the notion of meditation intensifying empathy, one study looked into the effectiveness of meditation on improving empathy. This saw two groups of participants study images of facial expressions by just looking at images of peoples eyes; the goal was for subjects to distinguish what emotion the eyes were presenting. 

Afterwards, one group of participants underwent a meditation training programme and the control group didn’t. Next, both groups of participants took the test again. Researchers found that those who had mediated obtained a 4.6 percent higher score on the empathy test than the control group. 

The study showed that meditating and becoming more in touch with your mind increases self awareness, making it almost second nature to try to understand how somebody else feels in everyday life. This is just one example of how research has supported the benefits of meditation!

FAQs

How Often Should I Meditate?

The answer to this question is subjective to each individual, however, what we can recommend is a sustainable approach. What is meant by this is to implement a meditation routine that you can stick to without it feeling like a chore.

One of the greatest Spiritual benefits of meditation is that you can have a set time per day to focus on you. This should be something that you look forward to rather than dread, so whether you start with 20 minutes a day and work your way up to an hour or more – it completely depends on your attention span and limitations.

A good place to start to get as much of the benefits of daily meditation is with around 10 to 20 minutes per day, and if you can continue until you feel fulfilled, go for it! Don’t forget that there is never a set time frame and it could change daily depending on how your day has been, so listen to your body and respond accordingly.

How Can I Find The Time To Meditate?

Making the time to full concentrate on meditating is the only way to reap the benefits of meditation to its fullest extent. A good way to ensure that you don’t skip days is to have a designated time and location to practice your meditation.

This could mean using aids such as crystals and candles to help intensify the spiritual benefits of meditation; having this set up in a designated area of your home will ultimately make the experience more inviting.

It may help to set an alarm to remind you to take time for yourself, or tell a family member to remind you so you don’t neglect your own self care because of a busy lifestyle.

Where Can I Meditate? 

Meditation is a practice that you can participate in anywhere. Some may prefer a particular environment if you need concentration, or are serious about getting the medical benefits of meditation. 

Particularly for those attempting to reap medical benefits, like reducing blood pressure, might want to be in a relaxed environment with minimal distraction, so public places may not be the best choice.

However, for a simple mindfulness exercise and meditation session, you can sit in the park, your bedroom, living room, garden – pretty much anywhere that permits you to sit down in nature or indoors. Some people enjoy getting out in nature to feel the spiritual and physical benefits of meditation a bit more, so try out different locations and see what works best for you.

Before You Go…

Now that you are aware of the most predominant benefits of daily meditation, you can get your practice off to the best start.

Remember, the benefits of meditation don’t end there, in fact, there are many more mental and physical advantages that you will begin to feel the more you get into the practice. So, persevere with the process, you may not feel immediate changes but the commitment will be worth your while.

Just one more thing! If you are interested in being a fitness professional, click here and see how our yoga teacher training courses can prepare you for an exciting career in the industry. Or, you can browse through our full course prospectus here!

If eggplant isn’t currently part of your regular diet, then our list of the top eggplant benefits will definitely convince you that it should be! This round, purple fruit is both tasty and healthy.

Not only are eggplants nutritionally fantastic, but they can help your memory, regulate your blood sugars, prevent cancer, and much, much more. Read on to find out just how good eggplants are!

Before you jump in, is learning about health and nutrition your cup of tea? Take a look at OriGym’s level 4 advanced sports nutrition course to turn your interests into a career! Download our latest course prospectus as well to discover some other great career prospects.

What is an eggplant? 

Eggplant, or aubergine as it’s more commonly known in the UK, is an edible fruit from the Nightshade family (Solanaceae), that is very closely related to the tomato and the potato. It is commonly misconstrued as a vegetable, yet as it contains small, edible seeds it is actually a fruit (some even class it as a berry!). 

Eggplant is often used as a vegetable or meat substitute in cooking, and due to its ability to absorb oils and flavours into its flesh, it can be used in a huge range of different cuisines and dishes. Similar to tomatoes, an eggplant’s seeds can be eaten, and while eggplant is usually eaten cooked, it can be eaten raw too (similar to potatoes). 

What does eggplant taste like, you ask? 

Well, it depends: eggplant has been described as having a taste similar to summer squash or courgettes, which is a mild, sweet flavour, with a hint of bitterness. 

However, eggplants absorb the flavour of whatever it is cooked with, so if you don’t like its natural flavour you can just add it to other flavoursome ingredients and its usual taste will be diminished. 

Types of Eggplant 

It might surprise you to know that there are a wide range of different types of eggplant available to purchase and eat. Some of these include: 

• Globe – aka American Eggplants, the kind of eggplant you see in supermarkets
• White – same as Globe, just a different colour
• Fairy Tale – small with violet exterior and mottled white stripes; a creamy, sweet taste 
• Indian – also known as baby eggplant; small and round in shape, purple exterior 
• Italian – smaller, sweeter version of Globe eggplant
• Japanese – longer shape, sweet taste, delicate and spongy texture 
• Chinese – similar purple exterior with white flesh and slender shape, less bitter tasting 
• Thai – small and round, most have a green and white exterior, bitter tasting
• African Garden – green, white, or purple, small and round, very bitter 
• Rosa Bianca – round in shape, mild flavour, no bitterness 
• Graffiti – also known as striped eggplant, purple and white exterior, similar taste

As well as having a wide range of flavours, shapes, and textures, eggplant health benefits and nutritional values are also numerous.

In this article, we’re going to be looking at why they could be one of the best additions to your everyday diet, so read on for 9 of the top benefits of eggplant…

#1 – Rich in Nutrients 

Eggplants are rich in nutrients, meaning they contain a wide range of vitamins, minerals, and fibre in them that the body needs to be healthy and function properly. For those of you asking “what vitamins does eggplant have?”, here’s a short list:

• Vitamin C – keeps cells healthy and maintains health of blood vessels, bones, and skin.
• Vitamin B6 – helps with immune function and haemoglobin formation. 
• Vitamin K – a vitamin the body needs for blood clotting and healing wounds.
• Magnesium – supports muscle and nerve functions, and boosts energy. 
• Potassium – helps the muscles work, especially those that control your heartbeat and breathing.
• Thiamine – plays an important role in the breakdown of carbs into products needed by the body.
• Folate – needed to make white and red blood cells in the bone marrow and produce DNA.

Eggplants also contain small amounts of other nutrients, such as copper, manganese, folic acid, and niacin, to name but a few. 

As for the number of calories in a serving of eggplant, there’s very little in them with one cup of diced raw eggplant (82g) only containing 20 calories! Plus, the calories in an eggplant (whole, approximately 550g) amounts to only 136.

The rest of a cup of diced eggplant contains 5g of carbs and 3g of fibre. If you’re wondering about the average eggplant protein amount in a 100g serving, there’s 1 grams worth in it, meaning eggplant is also a decent source of protein when prepared alongside lean meats and poultry.

If learning about nutrition interests you, have a look at our guide on becoming a nutritionist to see if this is the right path for you! A nutritionist’s salary is also definitely worthwile.

The huge range of minerals and vitamins in eggplants make them a great addition to your everyday diet and an excellent source of many nutrients that your body needs to stay functional and healthy.

So, is eggplant good for you? Judging from the host of nutrients and vitamins in this fruit alone, the answer would be a resounding yes!

#2 – Helps with Heart Health 

Another of the humble eggplant health benefits is the fact that eating them can have a significant positive impact on the health of your heart.

Fibre, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, and potassium are just some of the many nutrients found in eggplants that can have a healthful effect on your cardiovascular system. 

Fibre, for example, can help lower the amount of cholesterol that your body absorbs. If you have high cholesterol levels, you can develop fatty deposits that get stuck in your blood vessels. These deposits can grow, making it harder for blood to flow through your arteries.

This in turn can lead to increased blood pressure, which could eventually lead to you suffering from a heart attack or even a stroke.

The fibre in eggplants binds the cholesterol that your body absorbs with your digestive system’s bile, so that your body can get rid of it naturally. The more fibre you consume, the more efficient this process is!

Potassium, also found in eggplant, is essential to bodily functions: it regulates muscle and heart contractions and strengthens them. By strengthening your heart you are much less likely to suffer from high blood pressure, or even heart attacks.

Similarly, an increased risk of heart disease and strokes has been associated with high levels of a protein called homocysteine in the blood. Vitamin B, found in eggplants, helps lower homocysteine levels. 

However, one of the few eggplant health risks is that because they’re part of the Nightshade family (a notoriously poisonous plant family!) they contain alkaloids, which can be toxic. Eating the leaves or flowers of these plants could lead to symptoms such as heart arrhythmias, which can be fatal. So be careful about which parts of the eggplant you eat!

#3 – Prevents Anaemia 

Another of the health benefits of eggplant is the fact that it can help prevent iron deficiency anaemia. 

Anaemia caused by a lack of iron has a wide range of symptoms, including: fatigue, lack of energy, pale skin, heart palpitations, and shortness of breath. Iron deficiency is more common in women than men, and can be caused because of pregnancy or blood loss. 

Iron plays an important role in the creation of red blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body. A lack of iron leads to less red blood cells, thus leading to less oxygen being carried around the body. This causes symptoms such as tiredness and shortness of breath. 

There are tablets and vitamins you can take to ease the effect of anaemia, however, the health properties of eggplant means adding this fruit to your diet is a more natural (and tastier!) way to boost your iron levels.

If you’re looking for vitamins to take for an energy boost, read our guide on vitamins and supplements for energy for some helpful advice. 

Eggplants are also rich in copper too, which plays an important role in the creation and distribution of red blood cells, alongside iron. 

However, it’s important to note that too much eggplant can have harmful effects on your body. One of the eggplant’s health risks is that there is a phytochemical in it called nasunin, which if you have too much of, can bind with iron and remove it from the cells. Therefore, if you’re going to use eggplant to help with iron deficiency, consume it in moderation to avoid making yourself feel even worse. 

#4 – Improves Cognitive Function 

One of the more surprising eggplant benefits is the fruit’s ability to help improve cognitive function and mental health

Eggplants contain high levels of the anthocyanin, nasunin, which is found in the skin of the fruit and causes the purple colour of its exterior (it’s also found in other red and purple fruits, such as blueberries and raspberries). 

Anthocyanin is a type of flavonoid, which is actually a compound with antioxidant properties. Anthocyanins, like nasunin, help prevent inflammation of nervous tissue, with neuroinflammation being a cause of health problems such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimers. 

Additionally, anthocyanins help facilitate the blood flow to the brain. Ensuring unhindered cerebral blood flow will benefit cognitive functions including memory, learning, problem solving, and decision making.

Maintaining and improving your memory and other cognitive functions could potentially aid in the prevention of age-related brain diseases, for example Dementia, from developing, which is something everyone can benefit from.

Additionally, there are some studies that have shown that the nasunin in eggplants can break down fats in the brain which can cause cell damage, keeping your brain healthier and safer. 

As nasunin is a potent antioxidant, it is worth trying to incorporate foods containing this compound into your regular diet, and the nutrition of eggplant means these fruits are an excellent way to do this!  

Eggplants are also rich in other phytonutrients, such as chlorogenic acid and potassium.  Chlorogenic acid is another antioxidant that is effective for lowering blood pressure and regulating blood sugar, while potassium is essential for the body and can act as a vasodilator, which means that it can help widen the blood vessels. 

Widening blood vessels allows more oxygen-rich blood to reach the brain, providing similar benefits as the anthocyanins mentioned above. 

Just another example of how eggplant health benefits are also great for boosting your cognitive functions! 

#5 – Can Aid Weight Loss 

The eggplant nutrition facts and health benefits we’ve covered already are impressive enough, with low levels of calories and carbs, and high quantities in fibre and protein. However, these stats also mean that they’re effective for weight loss!

As we already know, there are 20 calories in eggplant servings of 82g, and 3g of fibre, making it a great replacement for higher-calorie ingredients that you would usually cook with. Eggplant also contains minimal amounts of fat or cholesterol, making it a very healthy food option for people trying to lose weight.

Another advantage is that you don’t just have to eat eggplants to experience its many nutritional and health benefits: eggplant water is a quick and easy drink to quench your thirst and keep hunger pangs at bay.

The water you boil these fruits in will absorb some of the minerals and vitamins from the eggplant itself, including vitamins C, B6, K, potassium, and antioxidants, so don’t just drain this water away once you’ve finished cooking the eggplant!

Adding lemon to this water and drinking it will not only provide a fresh supply of those raw eggplant benefits, but it also works to keep you feeling full by reducing your food cravings. Your body absorbs the nutrients from the water, which in turn will satiate your hunger. 

Ultimately, if you’re not craving sweets and snacks, then you’re not going to be eating foods you shouldn’t be, such as foods that are high in sugar and fat. This means you’ll be able to lose weight more effectively, and keep the weight off.

So don’t let the health benefits of eggplant water go to waste – staying hydrated, fighting off hunger, and consuming essential nutrients all at the same time is a win-win situation!

#6 – Helps with Digestion 

Another of the many health properties of eggplant is its ability to aid with digestion. 

Due to its rich fibre content, eggplants act as a natural laxative which improves the function of the digestive system. This basically means that including eggplant as part of your typical diet will ensure smooth and regular bowel movements.

As a natural laxative, this also means that eating eggplant can help those who are suffering from constipation. 

The rich fibre health properties of eggplant also mean that it can prevent the risk of inflammation in the digestive system. Fibre, along with the potent antioxidants and water content, all work together to combat any inflammation.

Inflammation of the digestive system provokes symptoms such as diarrhoea, fatigue, fever, abdominal pain, and weight loss, and is associated with conditions such as Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. 

However, it’s important to note that inflammation is one of the eggplant benefits and side effects. The right amount of eggplant can help prevent inflammation from happening, but too much of it can actually promote inflammation. 

This is because eggplants contain cholinesterase, which is a group of enzymes necessary for chemical processes involving neurotransmitters and neurons. Overabundance of cholinesterase can cause inflammation as it blocks other anti-inflammatory substances in the body, potentially causing bloating and diarrhoea. 

Briefly returning to the health benefits of eggplant water, drinking just one glass a day can help reduce bloating, so this is perfect for anyone who suffers from this. 

Helping with your digestion is another one of the many health benefits of eggplant, if the fruit is consumed in moderation. 

#7 – Can Help Fight Cancer 

A lot of people probably wouldn’t guess that fighting cancer is one of the answers to the question “what are the nutritional benefits of eggplants?”, but it’s true!

We’ve already briefly discussed the antioxidant health properties of eggplant, but they’re actually more important than previously mentioned. This is because antioxidants are one of best defenses against cancer (and other infections) that the body has available. 

Antioxidants help protect the body against free radicals, which are molecules that can cause damage to the cells. They’re further described in the International Journal of Biomedical Science:

“When produced in excess, free radicals and oxidants generate a phenomenon called oxidative stress, a deleterious process that can seriously alter the cell membranes and other structures such as proteins, lipids, lipoproteins, and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). Oxidative stress can arise when cells cannot adequately destroy the excess of free radicals formed.” (Pham-Huy, He and Pham-Huy, 2008)

Free radicals are linked to degenerative processes in the body, including aging, as well as diseases such as cancer, dementia, arthritis, cardiovascular issues, Parkinson’s, and more. 

Eggplants contain good levels of antioxidants, with one specific antioxidant being manganese. One of the benefits of manganese is that it will fight the free radicals that can damage your body: ensuring your body has the right levels of this antioxidant can help protect your cells and prevent or delay the diseases mentioned above. 

Nightshade plants, like eggplants, also have a compound called Solasodine Rhamnosyl Glycosides (SRG) in them. Human trials focused on the result of applying topical creams formulated with SRG to skin cancer have produced amazing results. One study stated: 

“A mixture of naturally occurring glycoalkaloids has been shown to be highly effective in treating human skin cancers. This mixture consists of solasodine glycosides. These compounds are found in plants of the nightshade family like aubergine.” (Punjabi et al., 2007) 

The skin cancer lesions are seen to be completely eradicated by these creams, with new, healthy skin cells taking the place of the cancerous cells. 

The fact that eggplant nutrition values are so good that this is possible is incredible! Definitely another reason to include this fruit in your regular diet.

#8 – Regulate Blood Sugar 

Additional eggplant benefits include the ability to help regulate blood sugar levels, which is great news for diabetics.

Eggplant is able to help maintain healthy blood sugar levels due to its high fibre content. Fibre prevents spikes in blood sugar levels by slowing down the speed and absorption of sugar by the body.

Eggplants specifically contain natural plant compounds called polyphenols. Polyphenols actually contribute to the majority of the eggplant health benefits on this list; they contain antioxidants, can reduce inflammation, boost brain functions, and more. 

Polyphenols help prevent simple sugars entering the blood after being broken down from starch (this is usually the cause of spikes in blood sugar levels). Polyphenols also stimulate the secretion of insulin which is the key hormone for maintaining stable blood sugars. 

Eggplant is particularly adept at aiding diabetes, as not only are the polyphenols beneficial for blood sugar levels, but the anthocyanins that contribute to eggplant nutrition are also considered “antidiabetic” – they help prevent insulin resistance in diabetic patients. 

As if there weren’t already enough benefits of eggplant for diabetes here, but the levels of eggplant carbs are low too, with only 5g per cupful!

#9 – Helps with Eye Health 

Cooking eggplant and adding it to your regular diet could also have a positive effect on your eye health. 

Eggplants are rich in lutein, which is another antioxidant. Lutein is classed as one of two carotenoids, which are colour pigments found in the eye, which work as a light filter to protect the eye from damage. Deficiency of lutein leads to eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts. 

AMD tends to happen to people in their 50s and 60s: it starts off with blurring and distorting of the middle part of your vision, and can degenerate to the point where you can’t see anything in the middle of your vision. Whilst it isn’t a painful condition, it can make everyday activities, such as reading, more difficult and frustrating.

The antioxidant-rich nature of eggplants has been studied, with some results showing promising effects on delaying and reducing the effect of AMD through increased lutein intake. 

Eating eggplants can also help lower intraocular pressure, which is the fluid pressure inside the eye. High fluid pressure can cause hazy or blurred vision, severe head and eye pain and even sudden sight loss, so it’s best to keep that under control. 

Being able to boost eye health just with the addition of eggplant to your diet is fantastic!

Conclusion

Who knew that the common purple eggplant had such a profound list of health benefits (and who knew that it was actually a fruit?!). We’ll be adding this invaluable fruit into our next lasagne for sure.

So to sum up, what are the benefits of eating eggplant? Simply, a healthy heart, a great memory, good eyesight, easy digestion, and excellent general health!

If learning about the science behind some important nutrients has grabbed your attention then let’s take that further! Check out our level 4 advanced sports nutrition course and download our free course prospectus for all the information!

References

1. Cham, B.E. (2011). Topical Solasodine Rhamnosyl Glycosides Derived From the Eggplant Treats Large Skin Cancers: Two Case Reports. International Journal of Clinical Medicine, 02(04), pp.473–477.
2. Fluck, R.A. and Jaffe, M.J. (1975). Cholinesterases from Plant Tissues VI. Preliminary Characterization of Enzymes from Solanum Melongena L. and Zea Mays L. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) – Enzymology, 410(1), pp.130–134.
3. Noda, Y., Kneyuki, T., Igarashi, K., Mori, A. and Packer, L. (2000). Antioxidant Activity of nasunin, an Anthocyanin in Eggplant Peels. Toxicology, 148(2–3), pp.119–123.
4. Pham-Huy, L.A., He, H. and Pham-Huy, C. (2008). Free Radicals, Antioxidants in Disease and Health. International Journal of Biomedical Science, 4(2), pp.89–96.
5. Punjabi, S., Cook, L.J., Kersey, P., Marks, R. and Cerio, R. (2007). Solasodine glycoalkaloids: a Novel Topical Therapy for Basal Cell carcinoma. a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, Parallel group, Multicenter Study. International Journal of Dermatology, 47(1), pp.78–82.

We all have times when we’re feeling down, whether that being from the weather, family loss or for unknown reasons. Don’t worry we have you covered with these 30 scientifically backed, natural mood boosters that you can implement within minutes.

But first, if you want to help others make positive lifestyle changes enquire about our Personal Training Diploma today! You could be qualified in just 4 weeks and can get to work helping others!

Top 30 Natural Mood Boosters You Can Implement Today!

 1. Reduce Your Alcohol Intake

Sorry, we thought we would start with one of the less fun ones…

Alcohol is one of the most potent drugs in our society for causing depression and unhappiness. Although alcohol can cause a temporary alleviation of mood, it is a natural depressant and changes the chemical makeup of the brain.

Sometimes we utilise alcohol as a form of self-medication or as a coping mechanism, but it can reduce energy levels and affect the function of our central nervous system, in addition to making your mood fluctuate in every direction.

2. Get Plenty of Sunlight: It’s an Instant Mood Boost!

Depending on the time of the year, this can be easier said than done! The reality is that sunlight is a great instant mood booster. What many people don’t know is that sunlight and darkness have chemical influences on the brain. Sunlight triggers natural serotonin that naturally lifts your mood and makes you more focused.

Next time you’re feeling low and fancy staying indoors on a bright, sunny day, get yourself outdoors and it will really help lift your mood.

 3. Use Meditation To Get a Mood Boost

Meditation is a real quick mood booster and when performed correctly it can help to iron out minor issues that caused your mood to fluctuate.

Normally very small things cause mood changes and sometimes we don’t even know the reason as to why we’re feeling specific ways, we simply feel irritated or unsettled. Meditation is a great tool of reflection that can help us to infinity the causes and effects of our emotions.

Here is how you can boost your mood at home through mindfulness meditation:

1. Sit or lie down on the floor
2. Close your eyes
3. Breathe in and out in a natural state
4. Focus your thoughts solely on your breathing
5. As your mind starts to wonder, bring it back to focusing on your breathing
6. Perform this for 3-4 minutes
7. Extend these time periods when you get more familiar with the practice

4. Try Brainwave Audios

One of the best mood boosters and most understated is using Brainwave Audio. Some people believe brainwave audio is a load of rubbish, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Brainwave audio has been studied for over a century and greater volumes of scientific studies have supported the harnessing of brainwave audio as a mood booster for depression. Our brainwaves are unique to each mood and brainwave technology replicates the brainwave pattern we feel when we are happy through the medium of sound.

Brainwaves audio is cheap and well worth the investment to instantly lift your mood. To implement, follow our tips below:

1. Ensure you’re in a quiet environment
2. Keep the lighting low
3. Sit down as opposed to lying when listening to brainwave audio
4. Listen to 15 minutes per day
5. Find a time in the day to fit it into your daily routine
6. Results will improve the more you use it

5. Acts of Kindness Can Help to Improve Your Mood

Did you know that random acts of kindness have a big impact in your overall wellbeing?

Performing kind acts, however big or small causes empathy, gratitude and a shift in our mental state that leads to reduced anxiety, boosts our immune system and replaces negative thoughts with compassionate ones.

Chemicals within the brain such as dopamine and opioids are released when we do a compassionate act, this is what makes us feel good when we help another individual. Get an instant mood lift by doing something good for your fellow man today by:

1. Letting Someone through in a traffic jam
2. Saying hello to your elderly neighbour
3. Volunteering
4. Acknowledging someone who is living on the street
5. Helping someone with their shopping to the car
6. Offering someone your brolly when it’s raining

6. How to Lift Your Mood With a Long Bath!

Looking for ways to improve your mood fast? You need to start jumping in the bath more!

A number of studies have shown that relaxing in the bath could help combat depression. Results have shown that participants demonstrated sustained levels of lift to their mood, especially with baths taken in the afternoon. It is thought that this could be due to baths helping to restore the balance of our circadian rhythm of temperature, which is often disturbed in people suffering from depression.

The circadian rhythm influences the daily fluctuations in behaviour and biochemistry tall our internal organs, including the brain. The temperature of our core is what tells our body what time of the day it is. Depression sufferers often have distorted or flatter core temperatures which can prevent them from falling to sleep and waking up properly.

Baths and long hot showers help to raise the core temperature and some of the results have even been more impressive than the results shown from performing the exercise, which is utilised as a form of therapy by general practitioners to patients with depression.

7. Get Plenty of Sleep: One of The Best Natural Mood Boosters

Our next best mood booster is sleep. Sleep is one of the most understated commodities that helps shape our overall mental health and well-being. Lack of sleep can make you irritable, unenergetic, anxious and when insomnia becomes chronic it can also lead to depression.

Get more sleep by:

1. Decreasing nicotine intake
2. Do not nap in the early afternoon
3. Exercise a few hours before bed
4. Got to bed at the same time each night and wake up the same time each morning
5. Make your bedroom really dark to increase natural melatonin in your brain to help you sleep
6. Reduce blue light exposure late at night
7. Turn off anything noisy
8. Keep your bedroom at a cool temperature

8. Laugh and Smile More to Lift Your Mood

A great mood booster for depression is just smiling and laughing more! Yes, it may be fake laughter at first, but laughter actually decreases stress hormones and triggers the release of endorphins, the brain’s major and is probably the quickest mood booster on this list and best of all, it’s free!

Here are some ways to make you laugh more:

1. Go to a comedy show
2. Watch a Funny film, Sitcom or Video
3. Read a Funny Book
4. Listen to a funny podcast
5. Socialise more with your funniest friend
6. Make laughter part of your daily routine

9. Drink More Water to Get a Natural Mood Boost

Water is the source of most things positive and is also a great natural mood booster. Even slight variances in water consumption can influence your mood. We all know that severe dehydration can make you unhappy and very ill at the same time, but not many of us know that studies have suggested that even smaller consumption differences can boost our mood, with temper levels, confusion and tension levels decreasing in study subjects.

Ways to get more water in your daily routine:

1. Have a glass with every meal
2. Add flavour to your water
3. Get a Marked Water Bottle for Tracking
4. Always top your water bottle up so it’s never empty
5. Keep a water bottle at work, at home and wherever else
6. Create a target for how much water you will drink per day

10. Look at Old Photos to Lift Your Mood

We all love to reminisce, and it actually has scientific backing too as a natural mood booster. A study conducted by the Open University, which compared the mood-boosting effect of chocolate, music, alcohol and looking through old photos found that candidates looking through old photos lifted mood more than the other three variables.

Next time you’re feeling down and want a mood booster for depression, grab the old photo album and start flicking through. Here is how you can utilise this best, all-natural mood boost to maximum effect:

1. Upload photos to your phone and tablet so you have portable access
2. Dig out photos you may have filed and put them in every room of the house
3. Ensure you have a go to photo for lifting your mood at your place of work
4. Allow yourself 5-10 minutes when you’re feeling low to indulge in old photos
5. Take photos at every opportunity that you can look back on and reflect

11. How to Boost Your Mood With Daily Affirmations!

Harnessing daily, positive affirmations is a great way to get an instant mood boost, especially when written down. As often we can all be our biggest critics and have insecurities, we can also be our biggest advocates and affirmations to achieve and a great way to boost your self-esteem.

Affirmations are based on psychology theory and like many mood boosters on this list require practice and routine to see the real benefits. Affirmations are based on reinforcing positive thoughts and thinking processes to ourselves to maintain our sense of self-integrity.

There are many daily affirmations you can use, but here are some of our favourite instant mood boosters:

1. I am surrounded by loving people
2. I am my own person, I do not need to compare myself to others
3. My work and my job matters
4. I am trying to progress not achieve perfection
5. I only concentrate on feelings and people that make me feel good

12. Write Your Feelings Down

Moving on from performing daily affirmations is to simply write your feelings down. Ever been really angered by something you heard or saw, maybe something your boss said and then wrote it down, but by the time you have finished, you feel better and see things differently?

Writing your feelings down in either a journal or a diary can help you understand and gain control of your emotions better, especially when you allow yourself to freely write away.  According to studies, simply writing down our feelings of pain, anger or depression, makes the feelings less intense in our mind and numbs the pain that we’re feeling.

How to get this quick mood booster into your daily routine:

1. Make it Accessible – Have numerous pens and pads scattered at work and home
2. Take 5 minutes out when you feel down to write down your feelings
3. Allow yourself to freely write what is on your mind without pre-empting

13. Create a Playlist Filled With Positive Music

We all know how powerful music can be to generating emotions, but very few of us utilise it as a form of natural mood booster. Many case studies have shown that music can be used as a therapeutic, mood-lifting remedy to promote comfort and pleasure to help combat depression and anxiety.

In some cases (not all) sad music can even provide an instant mood boost, but better results were seen using up beat and faster-paced music. Music therapy is even used to help treat people with mood disorders related to neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, dementia and multiple sclerosis.

How to get this mood booster for depression into your daily routine:

1. Get some good quality headphones
2. Download some high tempo music that resonates with you
3. Play music on your commute, when your in the shower or whenever you get the chance.
4. You only need one song to lift your mood

14. Daily Stretching is One of the Best Natural Mood Boosters Around!

Stretching is a quick mood-lifting activity to get your day starting in the right way. Apart from a few obvious physiological benefits, such as increased flexibility and reduced chance of injury (which is always nice), stretching actually has some other benefits to.

Like most forms of exercise stretching helps release neurochemicals like serotonin in the brain, which is the primary chemical associated with joy and elation. You also will get a natural mood boost as you will simply be capable of doing more, which in itself will help give you a lift and make you feel happier.

This quick mood lifter is super fast and time-efficient and can be done pretty much anywhere.

1. Find a suitable time of the day when you have 15 minutes spare
2. Put on some relaxing music (if to hand)
3. You want to perform static stretching for relaxation of the mind (over dynamic)
4. Perform stretches that affect the largest muscle groups such as your quads or hamstrings if you’re pushed for time
5. List of stretches you can try https://www.jenreviews.com/stretchingexercises/
6. Hold stretches for around 30 seconds before slowly releasing

15. Acupuncture: The Best Homeopathic Mood Booster

Anxiety, mood swings and depression can be caused by physical illness and both chemical and hormonal imbalances. Some of the symptoms associated with the above, such as irritation, headaches and insomnia is what acupuncture helps to treat to prevent the onset of the more serious conditions.

This homoeopathic mood booster has been around for over 3,000 years and helps enhance endorphin, dopamine and norepinephrine levels. Acupuncture massage College says “Acupuncture balances the energetic qi flow within various body systems and minimizes the frequency and intensity of mood swings”

16. Smelling Specific Scents Can Trigger Mood Lifts

Our sense of smell is the highest sense for influencing brain activity and particular scents can have more impact as a natural mood booster than others. Olfactory bulbs are part of the limbic systems that directly connect to the part of the brain that is associated with emotion. Many scents of the scents below have calming properties that help control emotional stress and act as a natural stimulant and fight headaches and natural fatigue.

Here are our top 6 scents proven to provide a natural mood boost:

1. Lavender
2. Lemons
3. Peppermint
4. Cinnamon
5. Rosemary
6. Jasmine

Scattering some of these scents around your house and even taking one or two to work will help give you a lasting mood boost.

 17. Wearing Bright Clothes Can Give You an Instant Mood Boost

Always find yourself wearing black, white, brown and grey clothes? You may need to hit the shops as research suggests that wearing brighter clothes makes us happier. Bright colours trigger neurological responses in the brain and cause the hypothalamus gland to release hormones associated with happiness.

Visually seeing bright colours such as pink, red and yellow helps with the release of dopamine, making us feel happier, also wearing clothes with blue causes the release of oxytocin making us feel calmer, ideal if you suffer from stress.

Get a self-esteem boost by simply putting on the right coloured clothes in the morning and staying away from the blacks and greys!

 18. Get More Rest and Relaxation to Improve Your Mood!

Similar to sleep, getting sufficient rest and recuperation time within your lifestyle is directly linked to mental well-being. Although there is no direct “amount of time” you should take, ensuring you get what you deem to be sufficient time to relax will give you a natural mood booster. Finding time to relax and enjoy yourself promotes muscle relaxation and can reduce anxiety.

How to increase relaxation in your everyday routine:

1. Social Media Detox
2. Set your boundaries between work and leisure by blocking time out each day to unwind
3. Talk with a friend on a daily basis
4. Light exercise in small portions throughout the day
5. Take regular mini breaks during the day to relax your mind
6. Listen to soothing music
7. Go to a spa day
8. Get a massage

19. How to Lift a Mood By Eating More Fish!

 

Areas of Western culture where fish is a highly consumed food type have less cases of people suffering with depression. In Fish oil there are high concentrations of Omega 3, a fatty acid with two Omega 3 fatty acids in particular, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are prevalent within fish oil, thought to help those suffering with mood disorders.

These fatty acids interact with mood-related molecules and have inflammatory actions that may reduce stress and depression. Increasing this natural mood booster food type into your diet will organically give you a long-term mood lift. See more on how fish oil can help you relieve depression from the Harvard Health Publishing School here.

20. Tie Up Your Loose Ends

As a species we are natural procrastinators, maybe you pay bills late, leave difficult social conversations to one side or have a deadline that is looming over you at work. Confronting outstanding tasks head on and overcoming the inertia is actually one of the best mood boosters to provide relief.

Studies and scientific authors say that meeting these tasks head-on, especially ones that would take 30 minutes or less can provide an instant mood boost, whilst also reducing anxiety and stress.

How to lift your mood by confronting tasks:

1. Write down or create a list of what loose ends you have outstanding
2. Put a time frame that it would realistically take to sort those tasks out next to each one
3. Start by addressing the loose ends that take the shortest period of time to solve and work down the list

It also sometimes helps you identify the true cause of why you may be feeling stressed or anxious in the first place too.

21. Turn Off Your Social Media Accounts

Social media is still very new to society and although it can have some great benefits to our lives, it can also be detrimental to anxiety and stress. Jacob Barkley PHD and psychology professor has said that taking a break from social media can help with anxiety by not feeling obliged to keep up with constant communication.

Studies have additionally shown that people who are very active on social media also tend to suffer from depression and anxiety. Although there is not a proven direct correlation between cause and effect from using social media due to it being still very new to society and mental wellbeing, it may be worth de-activating them and seeing if your mood boosts.

22. Cut Off Any Artificial Sweeteners

According to Psychology Today, there is no such thing as a “good” artificial sweetener, just ones that are more harmful than others. If increasing the chances of diabetes and cancer is not enough, artificial sweeteners have a direct pattern with anxiety levels and depression.

Sugar is one of the most powerful, legal toxins we consume on mass as a society and leads to exacerbated anxiety that can also sabotage your mood. Sugar consumption leads to initial spikes in mood, but then dips after several hours leaving you far more de-energised, lethargic and can lead to headaches and increased anxiety levels.

Cutting artificial sweeteners and sugar out of your diet will leave you feeling more balanced and is one of the best natural mood boosters. Here is how to remove it from your lifestyle:

1. Substitute sweet cravings with fruit
2. Start a cravings Journal documenting your food intake
3. Replace artificially sweet beverages with fruit-infused water.
4. If you’re going to have sugar, consume natural sugars
5. Change sugary treats to healthier choices like Greek yoghurt
6. Swap sugar-loaded cereals with muesli or porridge
7. Refrain from adding sugar to your teas and coffees

23. Male Sweat Can Boost Women’s Mood

No, we’re not joking! If you’re looking for how to get a mood lift, then men’s sweat is a very natural mood lifter.

Studies have demonstrated that odourless pheromones found in male perspiration can result in a positive mood boost for women. Male sweat is thought to increase the release of the hormone that regulates the menstrual cycle and give a mood lift. Researchers have found that participants were found to be less stressed, anxious and more relaxed.

 24. Reduce Heavy Caffeine Intake

 

There are many similar articles on this topic, that say you should cut out caffeine or that you should take more caffeine to boost mood. They are both incorrect and correct at the same point. Caffeine can affect neuronal development and physiology and protect the brain from neurological illnesses or injuries, but if taken in small doses over a prolonged period e.g. 1 cup every 5 hours or so.

If you’re consuming a cup of coffee or tea every two hours, this can lead to an increased anxious state and nervousness. Managing your caffeine intake daily to get a natural mood boost each and every day is crucial to your mental well-being.

25. Nice Views Lift Your Mood!

If you’re thinking on how to boost your mood, you might want get to a nice view spot local to you, looking over the city or the countryside. Many studies have backed up this this theory with exposure to beautiful views having positive effects on both mental and physiological factors such as reduce heart rate, blood pressure and can give an instant mood boost. Just simply staring at a nice view can trigger the brain into a more relaxed state.

Here are a few ideas to getting a natural mood booster:

1. Visit beautiful architecture
2. Go to the top of a building
3. Go to an art gallery – Even art has this effect

26. Get a Mood Boost By Exploring Nature

Getting back to nature may be more beneficial to our mental well-being than we perhaps think. The Journal of Environmental Psychology, noted a phenomenon that may stem from biophilia, that humans have a natural desire to be connected with nature that makes us happier.

Other studies have shown that our levels of productivity and sense of well-being improve when we get outdoors and back to nature. Our exposure to natural sensory experiences such as the smell of grass, the sound of running water or wild animals can reduce stress and relax the mind.

1. Get in to the garden more
2. Plan a beach trip
3. Hit the trail walks
4. Visit a National Park

27. Hugging Someone You Care About

When you’re looking how to get a natural mood booster. One of the simplest and quickest mood lifters is to just give someone a hug. The act of hugging helps release dopamine, serotonin, cortisol and most importantly oxytocin.

Oxytocin is also known as the “love hormone” as it is a transmitter that influences the brain’s emotional centre and helps you feel more content. Hugging a loved one, a friend or even a family pet can help facilitate the release of these chemicals within the brain and give you a natural mood booster.

28. Phone a Loved One For an Instant Mood Booster

We like to feel that our friends and family are always there for us, but very often we don’t share as much as we perhaps should. Even just hearing the voice of a loved one is enough to give you a natural mood booster.

A study by Dr.Seltzer of the University of Wisconsin showed that just texting a loved one makes no difference to our mood, but ringing had a positive impact on oxytocin levels and as we have seen from hugging that can have a massive influence on our mood. We live in a society of sending messages, but taking the extra time out to actually pick up the phone and call a loved one will give you extra added benefits.

29. Get Up & Dance!

Dancing is prominent in every society, from all corners of the Globe. But what is it that makes dancing make us feel good? Well, Dr Peter Lovatt of the University of Hertfordshire, said it’s four-fold. “Dancing stimulates us physically and emotionally while there are also cognitive and social elements to it,” He goes on to say that it connects with the emotional centre of the brain causing a positive emotional release that is found to be more powerful than in other forms of exercise with increased dopamine levels being detected.

Whether you consider yourself a terrible dancer or the next Michael Jackson dancing could give you a natural, instant mood boost that you need.

1. Join a dance club
2. Dance at home on your own with the music on
3. Get yourself a night out and take to the dance floor

Before You Go!

Want to kick-start your own career in fitness? Go download our latest prospectus here, or check out our incredible range of Personal Trainer qualifications over on the OriGym website!

Knowing when and how to exercise after giving blood is very important to athletes, fitness fanatics, and personal trainers. But not to worry; we’re about to cover it all!

We’ll talk you through the risks and the benefits of donating blood, whether athletes should donate blood, supplements to combat iron deficiency, and much more in our ultimate guide to exercise after giving blood.

Before we get started, why not turn your passion for health and fitness into a paying career? To make this a reality enquire about OriGym’s Personal Training Diploma today!

Benefits of Donating Blood

If you’re a healthy person and you’re doing something that involves your body, you’re naturally going to wonder about the benefits (and the risks, of course). Don’t panic; here’s everything you need to know about the benefits of donating blood!

When looking at the benefits of donating blood, it’s clear that some will be more important to you than others (depending on your outlook).

That’s fine! It’s not compulsory, but you’re here to find out if you can exercise after giving blood. Assuming you’re interested in fitness, the benefits of donating blood tie into this directly.

It’s true that you will burn around 650 calories when donating one pint of blood.

This may or may not work for you, but for those who it does work for; you’ll be pleased to know that giving blood regularly is an option (along with this regular calorie deficit).

It certainly shouldn’t be seen as a singular way to lose weight, but the benefits are harmless alongside a nutritious diet and exercise routine. Your fitness recovery after giving blood won’t be hindered too much as long as you stick to a healthy lifestyle.

These benefits of donating blood are also good for those who are obese, as regular donation will allow them to lower their risk of cardiovascular disease and other health issues as well as losing weight (as long as they follow a healthier lifestyle alongside this).

Should athletes donate blood?

Should athletes donate blood? This is a question that solely depends on the individual and their needs. They CAN donate blood if they want to; being so healthy and nutritious, they’re essentially the perfect donors!

However, it’s a good idea not to donate during competition season, as it can affect performance endurance and also be detrimental to health if you don’t wait long enough to exercise after giving blood.

The reason that there is a drop in endurance after giving blood is quite simple. Oxygen is carried around the body within the blood, and is what makes our muscles work.

Red blood cells are what carries the oxygen around within the bloodstream, and iron is responsible for their production.

If athletes experience an iron deficiency (which giving blood can cause), then their performance is affected; less oxygen makes it to their muscles.

When answering the question ‘should athletes donate blood?’, it’s clearly a big decision as it can make a difference!

There are obvious pros and cons, and it’s down to the athlete as an individual to decide what is best for themselves and their routine of exercise after giving blood.

Performance can be down for up to a month after donation due to this loss of red blood cells, as it takes a while for the body to generate more (especially with the drop in iron).

In a nutshell, waiting around three months between blood donation and competition can mean that the athlete can donate without hindering their performance or fitness recovery after giving blood.

If they’re okay with endurance dropping a little for a couple of months when they exercise after giving blood, then it’s a win win! If not then they might want to re-think, or decide to donate less often.

Exercise after giving blood: Supplements and Haemoglobin

So, if you’re an athlete or a regular gym goer who wants to exercise after giving blood, there are steps that you can take to minimize the effects that blood donation has on your power endurance.

If you don’t know what haemoglobin is then don’t worry, it’s very simple. Haemoglobin is simply a protein within your red blood cells that helps to carry oxygen throughout your body.

Having iron deficiency and a low haemoglobin count are closely linked, as iron is what produces the red blood cells, which contain haemoglobin.

Now you know that developing iron deficiency is somewhat common when giving blood, we’re going to cover exactly how you can combat it, along with how you can ensure that your fitness recovery after giving blood is maximised.

It’s also very important to consume a good amount of Vitamin C when restoring iron/maintaining a healthy iron intake, especially when you exercise after giving blood. This is especially true for vegetarians and vegans; they should take a source of Vitamin C when consuming iron from plant/nut sources.

Get on the fresh orange juice and clementine hype!

Now, let’s talk supplements.

Before taking iron supplements, it’s definitely a good idea to talk to your GP beforehand as it may not be the right option for you and your health. If you’re a regular donor, then this is definitely a good idea. You’re less likely to need an iron supplement if you don’t donate very often.

Once you’ve spoken to your GP and been given the green light, here’s some options available for you to try. Your doctor will likely recommend one of the following, so here’s some quick-fire info on each.

To boost iron levels, your GP may recommend that you take a multivitamin that contains 18mg of iron.

This is around the daily amount, meaning that combined with the iron that you receive from iron rich foods, it will give you the boost that you need to recover from lost iron.

To get the most out of multivitamins containing iron, you should take them around 2 hours apart from the foods containing iron, but with a source of vitamin C (to help with absorption).

If your iron deficiency is a little more severe, then you may require a stronger iron supplement.

Ferrous iron supplements usually come in doses of 18-38mg of ferrous iron, and are available as capsules, tablets, liquids, etc.

You should definitely speak to your doctor before taking a ferrous iron supplement to aid your fitness recovery after giving blood.

This is recommended less often than ferrous iron, as the body does not absorb it as well. It also has a lower toleration rate, so definitely keep this in mind when making a choice on which iron supplement to take when you want to exercise after giving blood.

In comparison to ferrous and ferric iron, carbonyl iron is absorbed at a much slower rate. This can mean it’s better suited for those willing to up their iron gradually, and in a less intense way.

Carbonyl iron is also said to be less toxic than ferrous iron, even when it is taken at high doses. This is something to keep in mind when choosing an iron supplement.

The dosage is usually 45-66mg in tablet form, and 15mg in chewable tablet form.

As with other iron supplements, you should still check with your GP before taking it; it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Iron amino acid supplements are praised in various studies for having similar if not the same effects as ferrous iron supplements when it comes to maintaining healthy levels of iron.

They also reportedly cause much less side effects in comparison, which means that they’re a great backup if ferrous iron supplements happen to have a bad effect on you.

Aside from their benefits, it is actually reported that they’re more effective in preventing deficiency than curing it, so do keep this in mind.

If you’re looking to prevent iron deficiency in the first place, then iron amino acid supplements are your first port of call! As always though, do double check with your doctor before self-prescribing, especially when you want to exercise after giving blood.

Common side effects of iron supplements:

• Nausea, vomiting, lightheadedness
• Heartburn
• Constipation, diarrhea
• Upset stomach, indigestion, stomach ache
• Headache
• Passing dark-coloured urine or stools

If you experience any of these symptoms when taking iron supplements, then stop taking the treatment and seek medical attention ASAP.

What happens when you donate blood?

This is a common question, and it’s very understandable. If you’re about to donate your blood for the first time, then you want to know how it’s going to happen, how long it’s going to take, etc.

Here’s some quick-fire info to refer back to when making your decision:

Women can give blood every 16 weeks, men can give blood every 12 weeks.

It’s recommended that you don’t lift anything heavy with the donation arm on the day of donation, and that you don’t have a hot bath or shower.

If you feel unwell after donating (anything that isn’t a cold), you can contact the donor helpline on 0300 123 23 23. You might want to note that down just incase!

When can you exercise after giving blood?

This is perhaps one of the most asked questions when it comes to exercise after giving blood… it’s good that you’re this eager!

The answer depends on a few different factors. It sounds simple, but the main one is how you feel after donating. This is because it has more to do with health and overall wellbeing, rather than endurance in sports/exercise.

Uncommon but possible side effects of blood donation can include things like feeling faint, nauseous, or dizzy after drinking or eating in the days after the donation. If you experience any of these symptoms then you should contact the donor helpline, and definitely refrain from exercise!

If all is well then you can actually exercise the day after the blood donation. Health professionals give the guideline to avoid exercise after giving blood for 24 hours, and to avoid heavy exercise such as marathons or triathlons for at least 2 weeks.

Health professionals also say that athletes should avoid giving blood during competition season, as it can greatly affect endurance (and keep you from hitting that personal best).

If you’ve got a marathon or a big weight lifting comp coming up, then it’s probably not a good idea to donate anytime soon.

Health professionals say that submaximal performance isn’t affected much in exercise after giving blood, but maximal on the other hand can be affected for around 2 weeks after donation.

This means that as long as you’re feeling okay in yourself 24 hours later, you can do moderate exercise after giving blood. Just be sure to eat enough and stay hydrated!

You don’t want to be doing any strenuous exercise after giving blood, as this can increase your risk of dizziness or fainting.

If you’re okay with submaximal performance for a little while until your body has recovered it’s iron, then you’ll be absolutely fine and your workout regime shouldn’t be disturbed too much. If you want to boost your recovery, definitely take a look at our section on iron-rich foods.

What about other donations?

The advice on exercise after giving blood that we’ve given so far relates mostly to whole donations. Yes, there is more than just one way to give blood!

Whole donations are the most common/popular type of donation, but it is possible to donate in other ways (and these can affect exercise after giving blood differently to whole donations).

• Double red cell donation – this is when you donate more blood cells than usual, and you may be given different advice for exercise after giving blood because of this
• Platelet donation – this is where the platelets (used by the body to clot the blood) are taken from your blood, but red blood cells are not – your exercise endurance shouldn’t be affected by this at all

Exercise after giving blood FAQs

#1 What happens when you donate blood?

Not much! You get a quick health screening, spend around 10 minutes actually donating blood, and then you have a drink and a snack afterwards to replenish. The whole process should last around an hour.

#2 What are the benefits of donating blood?

For you, the benefits of donating blood are pretty decent; you’ll have a health check, lower your risk of certain cancers, and burn around 650 calories…

Also, you could save up to 3 people’s lives!

#3 What happens if you exercise after giving blood?

As long as you don’t complete any strenuous exercise after giving blood for at least 24 hours and stay away from competitions for around 2-3 months, mostly likely nothing! If you do experience any dizziness or feel faint, cease exercising and contact your blood donation helpline.

#4 Running after giving blood – when can I do it?

Running after giving blood is basically the same as general exercise or lifting weights. As long as you’re not trying to beat your personal best and you adopt a moderate pace, you will be fine. Remember to wait at least 24 hours before running after giving blood.

Before you go!

We hope you’ve got a good idea of when and how to exercise after giving blood, as well as having enough information to make the right decision for you when it comes to donation.  

Is there anything we’ve missed out about exercise after giving blood? If so, let us know in the comments below!

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