Movement Is Medicine: How Motion Helps Your Mood, Mind & Hormones

Dr. Maggie Parker
Jun 30
2 min read

Feeling stuck, foggy, or low-energy?

You’re not alone—and there’s a powerful, accessible tool that can help: movement.

At Outshine Physical Therapy and Fitness in Asheville, we believe movement isn’t just about muscles. It’s about mental clarity, emotional resilience, and feeling at home in your body. Whether you're navigating a busy life, burnout, or hormonal changes, movement can help ground you, energize you, and lift you up.

How Movement Supports Mental Health

When you move your body—even gently—it kickstarts a whole-body reset:

Endorphins (feel-good chemicals) are released
Cortisol (your stress hormone) is regulated
Blood flow increases to the brain, enhancing clarity and focus
Feelings of anxiety, overwhelm, or depression often decrease

And here's the best part: you don’t need to “go hard” to feel better. In fact, gentle and consistent movement is often more sustainable and more effective for your nervous system.

Try This Daily Reset

Even on your busiest or most emotionally taxed days, these movement snacks can shift your state:

10-Minute Walk in Nature Your neighborhood, a greenway, or even the clinic parking lot—movement outdoors calms the mind and soothes the nervous system.
Mobility + Breath Flow Try this: 5 rounds of Cat-Cow, 1-minute Child’s Pose, and a gentle Seated Twist or thread the needle with deep inhales and slow exhales.
Dance It Out One of our favorites: put on your favorite song and move however feels good. No rules, no reps—just joy.

Three people dance joyfully on a patio with colorful flowers, a stone cottage, and lush greenery under a bright sky, conveying happiness.

For Our Perimenopausal & Midlife Movers

If you’re navigating perimenopause, menopause, or life beyond, movement can be one of the most powerful tools in your toolbox.

Hormonal shifts during this time can impact:

Sleep quality
Mood and anxiety levels
Brain fog or memory
Joint stiffness and fatigue
Hot flashes and temperature regulation

But regular movement—especially strength training, mobility work, and breath-based exercise—can help ease those symptoms, while also:

Improving bone density and balance
Supporting metabolic health
Reconnecting you to your body with self-trust and confidence

We know that this chapter can feel overwhelming, and you're not alone in wondering, “Is this just aging, or is there something I can do about it?”

At Outshine, we meet you in that question and help you build a movement plan that supports your goals, your hormones, and your life.

How Outshine Can Help

We work with people of all life stages and identities—from high school athletes to empty nesters and everyone in between. When you work with us, we’ll help you: