Straight from our favourite book, The Joy of Movement by Kelly McGonigal PHD…
“In humans, exercising three times a week for six weeks increases neutral connections among areas of the brain that calm anxiety. Regular physical activity also modifies the default state of the nervous system so that it becomes more balanced and less prone to fight, flight or fright. The latest research even suggests that lactate, the metabolic by-product of exercise that is commonly but erroneously blamed for muscle soreness, has positive effects on mental health. After lactate is released by muscles, it travels through the bloodstream to the brain, where it alters your neurochemistry in a way that can reduce anxiety and protect against depression.”