Emotional benefits of exercise
“To keep the body in good health is a duty… Otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.” – Buddha
We all know that exercise is good for the body… but it is also crucial for ones emotional health.
To me, walking is the easiest and most obvious exercise one can do. We are built for it. It’s easy, requires no special equipment, and can be done almost anywhere – even in LA (as I have proven)! Just put on some comfortable shoes and head out the door. After a walk, I feel more calm, more able to focus, and less overwhelmed. I just let thoughts run on in the background and listen to what my body is telling me while I take in my surroundings and breathe deeply.
I became a walking enthusiast when I lived in San Francisco. I lived in a neighborhood called Bernal Heights, which is basically a hill with a walking path around the top. So every day, I would come home from work and walk around the hill a few times… I had really high anxiety at the time… the walking helped quell the anxiety and it also allowed me decompress from the day. I also loved taking in the beautiful views of San Francisco. I ended up moving to a neighborhood where it was impossible to park – so I sold my car and just started walking everywhere. If it was less than 3 miles, I didn’t even consider another form of transportation. I became addicted to the walking lifestyle and began to love exploring and being a part of the city’s underbelly, which one is usually blind to when driving.
“We hardly realize how weak and futile is our mental work when unaccompanied by hard physical exercise. Walking gives movement to every portion of the body, and ensures vigorous circulation of the blood; for when we walk fast, fresh air is inhaled into the lungs. Then there is the inestimable joy that natural objects give us, the joy that comes from a contemplation of the beauties of Nature.” – Ghandi’s Health Guide
One of the main reasons that I didn’t want to move to LA was because I didn’t want to own a car again… One of the many lovely things that PaulCreature did for me was to create a map and mark all the places I would ever want to go (clubs, stores, yoga studios, etc). He then drew a box and said “If we live within this area, you can walk to everything you need”. I was sold! And yes, three and a half years after moving to LA, I am still carless and walking nearly everywhere I need to go. I walk anywhere between 3-10 miles every day.
“Many people who are depressed have low levels of serotonin and exercise can help boost these levels. Brief periods of intense training or moderate aerobic workouts can raise the levels of chemicals such as endorphins, adrenaline, serotonin, and dopamine in the brain” – WeightAwareness.com – Emotional Benefits of Exercising
“Some evidence suggests that exercise postively affects the levels of certain mood-enhancing neurotransmitters in the brain. Exercise may also boost feel-good endorphins, release tension in muscles, help you sleep better and reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol. It also increases body temperature, which may have calming effects. All of these changes in your mind and body can improve such symptoms as sadness, anxiety, irritability, stress, fatigue, anger, self-doubt and hopelessness.” – CNN.com – Depression and anxiety: Exercise eases symptoms
Regular exercise has been shown to:
* Reduce anxiety
* Reduce depression
* Enhance creativity and imagination
* Help the regeneration of damaged brain circuits – HDLighthouse.org
* Prompt nerve cells to multiply, strengthen their connections, and protect them from harm. – HDLighthouse.org
* Relieve insomnia
I realize walking may not be everyone’s favorite exercise… so just choose any exercise you *do* like. There are many reasons to exercise and very few not to. Stop making excuses!
“I will tell you what I have learned myself. For me, a long five or six mile walk helps. And one must go alone and every day.” – Brenda Ueland
*~Lighthouse~*
amen, girl! long ago, i warded off a depressive episode with exercise and haven’t stopped since. so important, so good. most days, exercise is my drug of choice. i think childhood lays the foundation for attitudes about exercise, and i do believe it’s harder for some to add this into their lives at a later time. i think it’s important to instill a healthy attitude about movement in our children.