It’s long been known that regular exercise is an important pillar of physical health, but more recently, we’ve come to better understand the benefits of physical movement for mental health as well.

Here are 5 mental health benefits of exercise:

If you’ve ever exercised, you’re probably already familiar with the powerful mood-boosting effects of movement. You can expect a mood boost within five minutes of completing moderate exercise. But the benefits of exercise aren’t just short-term: there’s evidence that active people are overall less likely to be depressed. Next time you exercise, take note of how you feel before and after your workout; staying mindful of the immediate benefits of exercise will help you stay motivated to work out again.

Exercise also has the power to reduce negative emotions by buffering your “anxiety sensitivity”, or how sensitive or reactive you are to physical indicators of stress and anxiety.

The relationship between exercise, sleep, and mental health is probably multi-directional in that each of these factors compound on the others. People who exercise regularly tend to get better sleep.

Here’s a tip: try getting your workout done earlier in the day; earlier workouts have been linked to better sleep, whereas workouts too close to bedtime might have the opposite effect.

Exercise has also been linked to improved memory and thinking skills. When you feel foggy, it’s harder to come up with creative solutions to problems or to feel motivated. On the contrary, mental “sharpness” improves your overall sense of well-being.

When you complete a workout, you’re rewarded with a sense of having achieved something worthwhile and in line with your goals and values. You feel proud of yourself for getting it done. All of this is in service of improving your self-esteem and self-worth, which are important components of mental health.