Yes, move. Get up and move that body. Exercise!
I’m sure this might be met with some moans and groans. You might be thinking, “I’ve heard this before! This isn’t very motivating!” Well, you probably have heard the advice to exercise before but hear me out.
There are many coping mechanisms available to help us deal with trauma and physical activity is one of them. Getting up and moving however and whenever you can is good for you. It can play a very important role in the healing process.
There are so many benefits to exercise:
-It increases the production of “feel good” hormones providing an emotional “lift” and improving your mood.
-It’s good for your heart, brain, and body as a whole.
-It reduces the risks of serious disease and illness.
-Physical exercise can help our brains to better cope with stress.
-Getting up to move helps to relieve anxiety and depression. No, it’s not a cure all but it sure helps!
-Exercise is great for goal setting. Although we tend to think of exercise goals as revolving around weight loss, this isn’t always the case. You can set goals such as running one mile, walking around the block of your neighborhood without stopping, or just making it a goal to get in 20 minutes of movement everyday. Working towards and achieving these goals can help to build physical resilience (not to mention self-confidence) which can deeply effect our mental state.
-Physical activity is a good distraction. We become focused on the movement, on breathing, or on whatever our goal is. This is so much healthier than, for example, relying on unhealthy coping mechanisms such as overeating, engaging in sexual promiscuity, alcohol, or drugs. If a trigger hits, try getting up and moving instead of turning to anything unhealthy or unsafe.
-It helps us to feel better about ourselves. Being active on a regular basis helps to stabilize our mood, makes us feel rewarded, and helps us to better cope with painful situations.
Believe it or not, exercise can be fun. We all need to have fun every now and then! Find an activity that you enjoy and do what feels good to you. Some examples include walking, running, weight lifting, dancing, rock climbing, hiking, sports, etc. If you want, ask a friend to join you or include your family. Even keeping physically active around your house doing chores such as yard work and cleaning or chasing around after your kids counts! Just a few minutes of movement everyday can make a big difference.
If you’re not sure where to start, set aside just 10 minutes to move in the morning and 10 minutes later in the day. Mark it on the calendar if you need to. It’ll help keep you motivated.
Of course if you haven’t been active in the past or struggle with health issues, be sure to check with your doctor to find out which recommendations are best for you.
Now get up, get some water so you can stay hydrated, and move today! I’m rooting for you!
