Exercise – The 5th Step to a Happier Life
Exercise is defined as any movement that makes your muscles work and requires your body to burn calories. There are many types of physical activity, including swimming, running, jogging, walking, and dancing, to name a few.
Being active has been shown to have many health benefits, both physically and mentally.
Humans are creatures of habit.
Nearly everything you think, say, and do is a result of habits deeply rooted into your body and mind through years of repetitive behavior. The habits you develop can either help you move forward—or set you back. In fact, the state and quality of your life are direct reflections of your daily habits.
If you are feeling stuck, bored, stressed, unhealthy, or sluggish, you may be literally the very thing standing in your way of feeling better….merely by not moving your body!
Our bodies were designed to move. Our ancestors either spent their days hunting and / or gathering, but in today’s world we spent much of our day on a seat.
Much like a car will start faulting because it’s not being driven, so will your body start aching; paining; and get disease if you don’t move it regularly.
Have you ever noticed when your morning starts in a frenzy—snoozing your alarm, skipping breakfast, and rushing out the door—the rest of your day seems to reflect that mood of chaos as well? The tone of your morning will determine the tone of your day, so it’s time to start planning accordingly.
When you form healthy habitual behavior’s for the morning, you set your day up for success, and that feeling of—feeling good—can trickle into each part of the remainder of your day.
Incorporate healthy habits into your routine to support a joyful, energetic body every morning!
Exercise
Whether it’s a simple yoga routine, a brisk walk with your pet, a quick set of sit-ups and push-ups, or hitting the gym to work off last night’s meal, starting off your day with movement energizes the body and the mind. Determine what kind of exercise is right for you and schedule it. It doesn’t have to be complicated, long, or intense, but having some sort of physical activity in the morning will get your blood flowing and help quiet any mental chatter. You can even switch up what kind of exercise you do every day to keep your routine interesting.
Practice Restorative Yoga An hour before bed, try this beautiful form to help you loosen up your body and dream sweetly.
Your body ‘speaks’ to you all the time.
Here is a wonderful way to pay attention to it daily and learn it’s feedback signals.
Body Scan
Practice scanning the body and, as you do so, simply notice anything that comes up.
The invitation is to release the need to control your experience and let yourself settle into the state of observation without judgement.
Begin by coming to a comfortable seated or lying down position.
As you bring attention to each part of the body, pause for a moment, and feel as though you can release tension in each part of your body:
Begin at the crown of your head
Forehead
Eyebrows
Nostrils
Cheeks
Jaw
Throat
Collar Bones
Shoulders
Elbows
Hands
Fingers
Heart
Naval Centre
Pelvis
Legs
Knees
Ankles
Feet
Toes
Your whole body.
Notice any emotions that become present, perhaps you can sense where these emotions create sensation in your body.
Also pay attention to where your body may need healing.
Simply notice any experience that rises as you settle in this awareness.
Once you have completed your body scan and tuned into your body’s needs, simple research can help you to determine what exercises to do to alleviate any aches and pains.
Another idea is going to a chiropractor. Mine is wonderful and she recommends great exercises for the ‘weaker’ parts of my body that I’ve managed to locate.
Here are 10 factual benefits of regular exercise:
- Exercise can make you feel happier – Exercising regularly can improve your mood and reduce feelings of anxiety and depression.
- It can help with weight loss – Exercise is crucial to supporting a healthy metabolism and burning more calories per day. It also helps you maintain your muscle mass and weight loss.
- Is good for your muscles and bones – Physical activity helps you build muscles and strong bones. It may also help prevent osteoporosis.
- Can increase your energy levels – There is fantastic heart and lung health benefits of exercise. Aerobic exercise boosts the cardiovascular system and improves lung health, which can significantly help with energy levels because of the increase in oxygen through the body.
- Can reduce your risk of chronic disease – Daily physical activity is essential to maintaining a healthy belly weight and reducing the risk of chronic disease.
- Can help skin health – Moderate exercise can provide antioxidant protection and promote blood flow, which can protect your skin and delay signs of aging.
- Can help your brain health and memory – Regular exercise improves blood flow to the brain and helps brain health and memory. Among older adults, it can help protect mental function.
- Can help with relaxation and sleep quality – Getting back to sleep after waking, sleep duration, and sleep quality improve after both stretching and resistance exercise. Anxiety is also reduced.
- Can reduce pain – Exercise has favorable effects on the chronic pain associated with various conditions. It can also increase pain tolerance.
- Can promote a better sex life – Exercise can help improve sexual desire, function, and performance in men and women. It can also help decrease the risk of erectile dysfunction in men.
My intention is that you’re receiving some very valuable information that you can easily apply to your life and schedule in this 8 part series on your way to a happier life.
So, until next time, remember to be epic!
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Yours in kindness,
Taz
