Mental Health & Exercise

It’s well-documented that exercise can play a key role in improving mental health with a recent study at the University of Florence in Italy, finding that just a single resistance training workout can reduce anxiety and symptoms of depression. Our award-winning fitness expert, Dean Hodgkin, explains how exercise achieves this and identifies which workouts will help you to optimise the benefits.

Feel Good Fitness

Physical activity stimulates a release of endorphins, your body’s natural painkiller, but also serotonin and dopamine, responsible for improving your mood. Try our DRUMS ALIVE and GLO UP DANCE for the ultimate fun factor workouts.

Destress Before Stress

Exercise uses up adrenaline and counter-balances cortisol, helping to control the effect of these stress hormones. With no complicated choreography, APEX CYCLE is the perfect no-nonsense approach to taking your exercise medicine….in fact, it’s as easy as riding a bike.

Muscle Magic

When muscles are contracted, they release proteins called myokines that cross the blood-brain barrier helping to improve neuroplasticity, your brain’s ability to keep adapting in order to cope with life’s challenges. Get both your muscles and your brain pumping in our easy-to-follow LIFT workouts.

Mindful Movement

Gentle movement with an internal focus can reduce the size of the amygdala, the area of your brain responsible for stress. Try our CANDLELIGHT STRETCH or take to the water for a unique approach to Pilates and yoga in the pool.

Meditation in Motion

The combination of breathing exercises and actively directing awareness can interrupt negative thoughts and also stimulate your parasympathetic nervous system which reduces muscle tension. RESTORATIVE RELAXATION and BINAURAL BEATS classes, exclusive to Ragdale Hall Spa, were created for just this purpose.

Exercise helps you to regulate body temperature and balance the sleep-wake cycle, improving both the duration and quality of sleep, helping to reduce negative emotional responses to stress. For maximum effect, immersive yourself in nature during our walks and turn up the effort level in our RUSH and HIIT classes.

View our Class Descriptions for more information or view our current Fitness Timetable.

To book your place in any of our classes, please contact fitness@ragdalehall.co.uk