As we are approach Thanksgiving, the temperatures outside are dropping and along with it, the number of hours of daylight. I don’t know about you, but for me, this is a perfect combination of excuses to move my body less. When faced with the option of my fur-lined robe or jumping on the Peloton, that robe is much more attractive! So this is where I have to remind myself of the importance of movement and why I want to keep it a priority. In case you’re in the same hibernation boat I am, here is a gentle reminder of five benefits to exercise and movement!

1) It Feels Good. Whether it’s yoga, walking the dog, a dance party in the living room or a tennis match with a friend, exercise releases endorphins! An increase in aerobic activity actually increases the release of these feel-good neurotransmitters in our brain. You may have heard it referred to as a “runners high”, but rest assured, you don’t have to be a runner to experience all of the good feels. In addition to endorphins, regular exercise also helps boost serotonin levels in the body. Serotonin is largely responsible for our general sense of well-being and is also a mood enhancer! [1]

2) It Enhances our Cognitive Abilities. Neuroscientists have discovered that cross-crawl movements (think crawling, walking or swimming) help your left and right hemispheres of your brain to connect and coordinate. [2] Essentially it allows our brains to fire on all cylinders, and who wouldn’t want that?! With 2020 being a year full of Zoom meetings and teleconferences, this is a great way to release some energy after a stress meeting or pump yourself up before a presentation. The good news is you don’t have to actually get down on your hands and knees and start crawling around your living room to experience the benefits of cross-crawl movement. A simple way to work in a few minutes of cross-crawl movement into your day is by standing upright and then lifting your left knee while touching your right hand or elbow to the top of your left knee, then return to upright with both feet planted on the ground and now raise the right knee and touching the left hand or elbow to the right knee. For a visual example of what this might look like check out this video. Repeat these two movements for 1-2 minutes or for 30 repetitions. To make it a little more fun, do it to the beat of one of your favorite songs!

3) It Improves our Listening Skills. Research has found that children who have a hard time listening to their teacher or retaining information they hear during class, benefit from movements where they cross the midline. So if you’re finding yourself zoning out during a call or having a hard time retaining information, take a 5 minute breather and move your body across the midline. Similar to the marching exercise above, the ultimate goal is to cross something on the right side of your body over to the left and vice versa. A simple way to do this is to take your hands shoulder to shoulder. Raise your arms to shoulder height with hands out to the side and palms facing down. Now take your right hand and touch the front of your left shoulder, while taking your right hand back out to the side touch left hand to the front of your right shoulder. I wasn’t a cheerleader, but it kind of reminds me of what a basic cheerleading move might look like. Repeat this for 1-2 minutes or 30 repetitions. Again, totally add in some music for a little extra pump-up!

4) It decreases stress levels. Not only does it increase the feel good hormones we discussed above, but aerobic exercise decreases stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. [3] To read more about the negative impact of cortisol and other ways to control it, check out our previous blog post here. Exercise has been called muscular meditation before because the rhythmic contracting and moving of large muscle groups is very calming for the mind. You’ve probably noticed that if you’ve ever had a difficult day and then gotten in a walk or a workout, the irritations from the day typically seem a little less significant afterwards.

5) It’s good for our overall physical wellbeing. We all know it, but sometimes we need a little reminder! Our heart is a muscle and just like any other muscle, in order for it to remain strong, it needs to be challenged and worked. Same with our diaphragm and lungs… when we challenge them, they become stronger and function at a greater capacity. If you use a fitness tracker (I’m OBSESSED with my Whoop), you will start to notice changes like decreased resting heart rate and increased heart rate variability. These are both great indications that your heart is adapting well to change and operating efficiently. In addition to our heart and lungs, movement burns calories and fat and increases muscle. These changes are not only good for our waistline. but also important for maintaining healthy blood sugar levels and metabolism.

At the end of the day, exercise and movement doesn’t need to be complicated. Find something you enjoy doing and pencil in 30 minutes of your day to do it! If you can’t commit to an entire 30 minutes at once, break it up into 10 minute blocks spaced out throughout the day. And for those days where the robe and sofa are really calling your name, remember all of these amazing benefits of choosing movement and that you’ll never regret the movement/exercise you did, only the one you didn’t do.

For more movement ideas or help with an issue that is preventing you from moving the way you’d like, please feel free to email me or make an appointment at Renew and Restore Wellness here.

Resources

July 25, 2017. Exercise, Depression, and the Brain. (Retrieved November 11, 2020). https://www.healthline.com/health/depression/exercise#Exercise-and-brain-chemistry
October 16, 2020. Want to Sync the 2 Hemispheres of Your Brain? Neuroscience Says to Do This Daily (It Only Takes 4 Minutes). (Retrieved November 11, 2020). https://www.inc.com/melanie-curtin/want-to-sync-2-hemispheres-of-your-brain-neuroscience-says-to-do-this-daily-it-only-takes-4-minutes.html
July 7, 2020. Exercising to relax. (Retrieved November 11, 2020). https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/exercising-to-relax

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Movement and Why it Matters