5 Benefits to Moving Your Body During a Challenging Time
What are endorphins? Maybe you’ve heard your workout instructor use this term or you’ve experienced them yourself as you exit the studio. But, what are they, how do they work and why do they matter? Endorphins are neurochemicals that are produced in your brains hypothalamus (i.e. this is where hormones are controlled), and they are released when you exercise! Not only do endorphins spike your mood, they also minimize feelings of discomfort. Working out during quarantine will not only boost your mood, but it will set you up to face the day’s challenges. Taking 45 minutes for yourself truly can dictate the rest of your day!
Here are some benefits to moving your body in a challenging time:
5 Benefits to Moving Your Body During a Challenging Time
Routine- something all of us might lack right now, 45-minute workout will not only make you sweat but it will give you structure.
Stuck to our homes, cut off from our typical schedules that we are normally used to, days/hours/weeks can often blur together. Whether you are trying to work from home or juggle a household full of children, without our regular routine, sometimes exercise and movement can be pushed to the side. When you sign up for that virtual class, it helps create a sense of routine; it’s something to look forward to in your day.
Exercise contributes to a more restful sleep; did you know sleep boosts your immune system?
If you’ve been having difficulty falling and staying asleep lately, you are not alone. It’s easy to lose track of the time scrolling through our social media feeds and news articles. Anxiety is high and many of us have lots of worries keeping us up. Exercise can help clear our minds, make us relaxed and help keep us in a deeper, more restful sleep. Another benefit for catching enough z’s? It’ll help boost your immune system which is important for all us, especially during this time!
Even if it’s through a screen, when we sign onto zoom we see the familiar faces we miss. Spending time with friends (even virtually) is known to reduce levels of stress.
At this point, we all know the CDC’s recommendations for washing our hands frequently, wearing masks, etc., but did you know that they also recommend staying in contact with friends and family through technology? There are so many ways to work out by yourself, but there’s a reason so many come to the studio to workout. The connections and friendships made are often just as important as the workout itself. Now more than ever it’s crucial for our mental health to stay connected with others. Yes, you could always pop on a workout video or workout on your own, but nothing beats working out together with a group. Through our zoom workouts, we are able to do just that! If you choose, our instructors can see you and give you real-time feedback, words of encourage and motivation. When you see everyone on that screen, working out together, it’s that much more motivating.
Exercise can improve our mental health which is especially important during a crisis.
During this crisis, with anxiety and stress high, many of us are seeing a decline in our mental well-being. Exercise, fortunately, can help improve our mental health by reducing anxiety and stress and depression. All those endorphins really can boost your mood and can turn a bad day around. We often say that the most difficult part of the workout is pressing play, and that has never been more true during this challenging time. While you may be feeling down or negative at the start of a workout, pressing that button, moving your body and sweating it out can lift your spirits and your mood.
This IS a tough, unknown situation. But challenging your body is a reminder that even when life is tough, YOU ARE TOO!
There’s nothing like the rewarding feeling of completing a tough workout or exercise. In the moment, you may be tempted to give up, but if you push through and keep going you’ll receive all those warm, fuzzy feelings of accomplishment. Exercise is like a “practice” run for getting through even more challenging times during our lives. When you face a difficult time much like we are all facing now, if you are used to overcoming those little, tough moments during exercise, it may help you realize your strength. Like we often say in class, you are stronger than you know.
Remember, we are in this challenging time together. It’s a time of uncertainty and unknowns. Let’s focus on the things that we do know and can control. Let’s Schedule that class, challenge your body and mind, connect with others, improve your mood and know that you are strong. Need a little extra boost to keep going? Message us and we’ll take a Zoom class with you!
