We all know that exercise does our mind, body and soul a world of good but we are too BUSY and STRESSED to fit it into our routine. There’s irony in this because just about any form of movement from walking your dog to gentle yoga, can act as a stress relief due to the natural responses the brain and body have.
The time has come to carve a little space into your daily or weekly schedule for movement that will increase the endorphins, boost your self-confidence, improve your mood, help you relax and lower symptoms of mild depression and anxiety.
Exercise can provide stress relief for your body by imitating the effects of stress. I know… say what?!? Humour me! The brain and the body are triggered into flight or fight mode when your heart rate rises, actually helping your body and its systems to practice working together through those effects. Call it your biological fire drill. This gives your cardiovascular, digestive and immune systems a shake up and in turn helps protect your body from the harmful effects of life’s unforeseen stress’s. Exercise in almost any form, from tennis to nature hikes, can act as a stress reliever and as little as 20-30 minutes a day can help. Pumping up the production of your brains feel good endorphins, otherwise known as neurotransmitters.
Endorphins are the bodies natural pain relievers. They’re a type of neurotransmitter that are also thought to be hormones, acting on opiate receptors to alleviate pain and promote feelings of pleasure, which are released during acts that exert the body, both pleasurable and painful. You can partake in activities ranging right through from getting frisky to laughing, dancing or lifting weights. When you don’t produce enough endorphins, you increase the risk of developing certain health conditions, you may have increased aches and pains, increased depression and anxiety, feel varying levels of moodiness and have trouble sleeping. If you can combine movement with something you love, you have the added bonus of releasing dopamine too.
Dopamine is a feel-good neurotransmitter that is released by the reward centre of the brain during times of pleasure in contrast to endorphins that are quickly released during a specific act, like exercise to help alleviate pain and stress.
The result; feeling a deeply ‘euphoric’ state, off this planet good or as the sneaker wearing exercise junkies call it “Runners High”.
Try not to get overwhelmed by the idea of partaking in moderate to vigorous exercise and just start out slow, increasing the time and intensity as you improver your stamina and fitness. Any movement is better than no movement at all, and is what our body is designed to do. Throwing a frisbee in the park or a simple walk to the local shop for milk instead of driving is a great way to start.
Moderate to vigorous intensity aerobic exercise and strength training can lead to a surge in endorphins, along with other feel-good chemicals such as endocannabinoids, dopamine and serotonin. One exercise that is often times overlooked, but is most definitely a healthy form of movement is…sex. Sex increases dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin, a hormone that is linked to connectedness and trust. It also increases your heart rate, promoting stamina, which supports your health and improves your mood. Other overlooked movements are laughter and dancing, especially in scenarios that are social and help generate a connection with like-minded individuals.
If you are ready to break the perpetual loop that is your internal dialogue; that tells you that you were never an active person, better suited to exercising your brain in the pages of books or your fingers in creating art or gaming hard, and you want to actively start incorporating healthy movement into your schedule, start with these activities…
Be sure to check with your health care provider and match activities to any injuries or ailments you may have before trying anything new. And please don’t limit yourself to this list! Try getting creative and finding the best way for you to enjoy this time you have carved into your schedule. HAVE FUN! Laugh your way through it …
Dip your toes in first exercises:
- Wash your car by hand
- Walk to the shop for your milk and bread
- Sweep the leaves off your patio in place of a blower
- Walk your dog to the dog park
- Play hide and seek with your children
- Yin Yoga
Moderate intensity exercises:
- A brisk walk
- A gentle bike ride
- Gardening
- Swimming laps or visiting your local creeks (rock hopping counts!)
- Rock climbing for beginners
- Hatha Yoga (have you tried couples yoga??)
Vigorous intensity exercises:
- Mountain bike riding
- Playing fast paces sports like Soccer
- Skateboarding
- Running/Jogging
- Skiing/Snowboarding
- Ashtanga Yoga (hello stamina!)
Big Love
Leila
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