This episode is brought to you by AirDoctor.

The most common explanation for why exercise makes us happy is far too simplistic. The psychological effects of movement cannot be reduced to just an endorphin rush. Physical activity influences many other brain chemicals, including those that give you energy, alleviate worry, and help you bond with others. It reduces inflammation in the brain, which over time can protect against depression, anxiety, and loneliness. Regular exercise also remodels the physical structure of your brain to make you more receptive to joy and social connection. 

In today’s mini-episode, Dhru speaks with Dr. Kelly McGonigal, Ryan Glatt, and Dr. Rangan Chatterjee about how exercise can improve the treatment outcomes for depression and anxiety, how exercise decreases our chance of cognitive decline, and simple ways to build exercise into your everyday life.

Dr. Kelly McGonigal is a health psychologist who specializes in understanding the mind-body connection. She is the bestselling author of The Willpower Instinct and The Upside of Stress. Her latest book, The Joy of Movement, explores why physical exercise is a powerful antidote to the modern epidemics of depression, anxiety, and loneliness.

Ryan Glatt is a personal trainer and brain-health coach with over a decade of experience in the health and fitness industry. He currently works alongside clinicians and researchers to study the effects of cognitively-enhanced and comprehensive exercise plans at the Pacific Brain Health Center in Santa Monica, California. 

Dr. Rangan Chatterjee is regarded as one of the most influential medical doctors in the UK and wants to change how medicine will be practiced for years to come. His mission is to help 100 million people around the globe live better lives. He hosts the most listened to health podcast in the UK and Europe, Feel Better, Live More—which regularly tops the Apple Podcast charts and is listened to by over 2 million people every single month. Each of Dr. Chatterjee’s four books have been Sunday Times bestsellers including his latest, Feel Great, Lose Weight

This episode is brought to you by AirDoctor.

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