Why move the body?
One of the main aspects to this question is moving your body helps to release endorphins and also to relieve stress.
Stress; in my opinion, is the number one killer.
In our world, stress can take a toll on the body and store in the muscles for longer than just when that stressful event occurred. For example, your parents getting a divorce can cause you stress at whatever age, but years have passed and your body can still hold that tension. (This is my own personal opinion, as a licensed massage therapist who is also certified in pain management, it also doesn’t make it one hundred percent accurate but from seeing different clients on a day to day basis I can put money on this statement and science will take years for them to say yes its accurate).
Increasing your physical activity at any age can help one to lower risk factors for serious health aliments.
According to the CDC, one in four adults sit for more than eight hours a day.
When one experiences stress, the body reacts in two different ways. One way is rest and digest and the other way is fight or flight, Parasympathetic Nervous System versus Sympathetic Nervous System. Entering the parasympathetic nervous system helps create optimal digestion.
When eating in general one should be relaxed. Relaxed meaning no you-tube videos playing, no watching tv or listening to music. One should be sitting at a table taking time to chew and really enjoy each bite versus trying to rush or entertaining your self with a distraction because as a society we need to relearn what being full actually means. I am not trying to call anyone out because I don’t chew slow like I should but there is a lot of obesity here in America and it has to do with the foods we consume, and moving our body as well as stress.
The Sympathetic Nervous system is an automatic physiological reaction to an event that is perceived as stressful or frightening. The perception of the threat activates the Sympathetic nervous system and triggers a response that prepares the body to either fight or flee. This chain of reactions could result in increased heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing.
Although, there are benefits to both, and as with anything else in life it is crucial to find balance and how to react to stay mindful and aware of your body and learn the best outcome to deal with certain outside stressors. Exercise being one of those best ways. Even something as simple as a daily walk after dinner for about twenty minutes can help you develop a routine and live more healthfully for years to come.
Moving your body has plenty of benefits. Such as the aiding in sharper memory skills, thinking more clearly, weight loss and weight maintenance, increased of energy, better quality of sleep, improve the health of your muscles and bones, pain reduction, inflammation reduction, better overall mood, and range of motion, are just a few.
I suggest making physical activity part of an every day routine. Even small changes can make a big impact on your health. Trying easy exercises at home is a great way to start. You don’t need expensive equipment or even a gym membership to move your body. For example, you can grab cans of food from the pantry or my personal favorite a watermelon and use it as a weight. You can even do some wall push-ups. This exercise helps to improve upper-body strength. Side lying circles, this exercise helps strengthen your hips and improve joint mobility. Taking a walk especially when the weather is nice out is a great way to get active and fresh air. I find that nature really helps me decompress. I almost need it when I am stressed or out of balance.
Nature keeps me grounded. You can always take the stairs instead of the elevator, parking your car farther away from the store or place of destination, stand up and walk around while talking on the phone are other great suggestions to incorporate movement into your daily routine. Use a pedometer, such as a FitBit, and aim for the recommended ten thousand steps a day. One could go for a swim, take up dancing, or try a fitness class like yoga or spin, Tai Chi, Chair yoga, and strength training are even better suggestions.
We have to be more committed to ourselves. Moving your body can help change your mind set as well. Lets say you are having a stressful day, a light jog can release those endorphins and you will experience that gym high that a select few talks about, and you will want to recommit every day to go because it helped with this particular stressful event in your life. So your brain correlates stress and your action will follow and that leads to working out. Working out is just an overall mood booster. Physical exercise is important to regulate the digestive system along with building and maintaining healthy bone density, muscle strength, and joint mobility.
Physical activity is an important part of a healthy aging routine. Research shows the benefits of exercise and movement go far beyond just physical wellbeing. According to the National Institute on Aging Adults should do at least two and a half hours a week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercises, some benefits of moving your body can reduce feelings of depression and stress, enhance your mood, increase energy level and improve sleep. It’s like how the old saying goes, if you don’t use it you will lose it.
If you are not getting regular activity in your muscles in layman’s terms can decrease over time and it will be harder to reverse once there so it’s better to start now, start slow, commit every day and add some fun to the activity and you will in turn reap the benefits. (I like to move it, move it, you like to move it, move it, we all like to Move It)!
