Guest Post: Exercise Strengthens the Body and the Mind

“Fitness, in my opinion, is a mental exercise more than just physical.”

– Indian actress Anushka Shetty

Exercise is indeed both a mental and physical activity. We often hear people talking about how Working out makes them feel better.

• Taking walks helps them clear their minds.
• Running helps them achieve a natural runner’s high.

Clearly, there’s a connection between physical and mental fitness. People who exercise regularly could:

• Reduce fatigue if they’re undergoing cancer treatment. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network says that “exercise increases muscle strength, joint flexibility, and general conditioning.”
• Provide mental and physical benefits if they’re recovering from addictions. Alcohol and drug addiction treatment centers often encourage their clients to hit the gym as a form of holistic treatment that addresses their minds, bodies, and spirits.
• Strengthen their bones if they have osteoporosis. As an added bonus, if people don’t have osteoporosis, regular exercise may prevent it from occurring in the first place.

Thus, exercising regularly may reduce pain and fatigue. It may even prevent it. If we’re less tired and sore, we may be better able to function in general.

We certainly may be better able to handle our mental health. “Depressed adults who took part in a fitness program displayed significantly greater improvements in depression, anxiety, and self-concept than those in a control group after 12 weeks of training,” reported scholars who reviewed research about exercise and mental health.

During exercise, the brain’s pituitary gland and hypothalamus release chemicals known as endorphins. Endorphins are similar to the drug morphine, so they may fight pain. They may also boost our moods, because they’re chemicals that also relate to eating, drinking, sex, and maternal feelings.

When we exercise, we’re doing something positive for ourselves. Knowing that we’re making progress may make us feel better about ourselves and improve our self-esteem.

If we feel better about ourselves, we may be eager to continue to exercise to prolong these feelings. We may be less likely to do things that may derail this progress.

Exercise breeds positivity, which spurs further positivity, more exercise, and other constructive habits. Such habits and exercise generate further positivity, and so on.

While we often talk about breaking destructive cycles, this is one cycle we should encourage. Fitness engages, improves, and protects the mind and body in many ways.

About the author: Pamela Zuber is a writer and editor who is interested in many topics, including mental health, addiction and recovery, human rights, gender, and business.

Sources

Craft, Lynette L. and Frank M. Perna. “The Benefits of Exercise for the Clinically Depressed.” The Primary Care Companion to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. 2004; 6(3): 104-111.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC474733/

Domonell, Kristen. “Why Endorphins (and Exercise) Make You Happy.” CNN.com. January 13, 2016.https://www.cnn.com/2016/01/13/health/endorphins-exercise-cause-happiness/index.html

“Exercising During Cancer Treatment.” Patient and Caregiver Resources. National Comprehensive Cancer Network.https://www.nccn.org/patients/resources/life_with_cancer/exercise.aspx

Russo, Cosimo Roberto. “The Effects of Exercise on Bone. Basic Concepts and Implications for the Prevention of Fracture.” Clinical Cases in Mineral and Bone Metabolism. Sept.-Dec. 2009; 6(3): 223-228.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2811354/

Guest Post - Positive Changes Help Cope With a Major Life Event

Going through major life changes can impact us in so many ways; some are positive, some are negative. In many cases, it’s difficult to know the right path to choose after such a big change, which can lead to stress, anxiety, and even depression. However, it’s possible to take these occurrences and use them to your advantage.

Some of the biggest life changes we experience include having a baby, losing a loved one, going through a divorce, getting married, and buying a new home. These events all run the risk of becoming very stressful times in our lives, but they also have the potential to change us for the better. Taking a period of transition and turning it into a reason to make positive changes in our behavior or way of thinking is a wonderful way to start down a new path in life. Not to mention that these changes can be highly beneficial for our mental and physical health.

Here are some of the best ways to get started.

Get healthy

Having a child or losing a loved one to illness are two of the greatest motivators in the world for getting healthy. Often, new parents or people who are dealing with grief feel they can’t take the time to focus on themselves, but it’s important to pay attention to your body and mental state. Lack of sleep is one of the biggest complaints of individuals who are going through a major life event, so work out a way to get adequate rest. Take naps often, and stay hydrated. Eat well-balanced meals, and include lots of fruits, veggies, and proteins to keep up your energy.
A healthy diet can equate to a healthy mind.

It’s also important to get a little exercise every day, even when you’re feeling low or tired. Exercise can help boost your mood and give you a burst of energy, and it can actually help boost your mental health as it releases hormones in the brain that are associated with being happy.

Clean up

Being in a clean environment can help you feel more in control--which is important after a major change, when everything can seem to be in chaos--so get organized and start de-cluttering. Go through closets and cabinets and donate or toss anything you haven’t used in a while. Give each room a good cleaning and air out your home. Not only will it be a better environment for your family, it will help you feel better, too. Having a clean, well-organized living situation can be beneficial for your mental health; after all, coming home after a long day to a cluttered home where chores await can amp up your stress levels and interfere with your sleep cycle. Read on here to find out more about how cleaning up and de-cluttering can improve your mental well-being.

Chuck those bad habits

Going through a major life change can be a great motivator for other areas of your life, such as smoking, using substances, or allowing toxic people to stay around. Take stock of what’s really important to you and think about the best ways to make some changes for the better. If you feel you need help getting past those habits, reach out and garner support from your friends and family.

Working on yourself and focusing on what makes you happy can allow you to enjoy life more. Finding a hobby or taking an interest in something new--such as learning a new language or traveling--will give you a new view on life and can help you be your best self inside and out.

It’s not always easy to make changes in your life, even when you know they’re best for you and your family in the long run. Take things one day at a time and don’t be hard on yourself if you don’t reach your goal right away. Making changes for the better takes time.

Guest Blogger Bio: Jennifer Scott has experienced anxiety and depression since she was a teenager. She shares stories about the ups and downs of her anxiety and depression at SpiritFinder. With SpiritFinder.org, Ms. Scott offers a forum where those living with anxiety and depression can discuss their experiences.

Photo via Pixabay by Jill111

Mental Health Series - Top Five Healthy/Unhealthy Ways to Cope with Anxiety

The Five Unhealthy and Five Best Ways to Cope With Anxiety

Anxiety is something we’ve all probably experienced in our life. We’ve lived through a life-threatening moment where our heart races or we’ve felt anxious about a test or before a hospital procedure.  We may have had to cope with an emergency. This is normal anxiety and it goes away once the situation does.

However, for those who suffer from anxiety, symptoms can continue while the situation doesn’t. These symptoms can frighten a person into an ongoing cycle of worry and anxiety that perpetuates more symptoms.

Anxiety affects us in four distinct ways:

• ·      How we feel
• ·      How our body works
• ·      How we think
• ·      How we behave

How We Feel?

1      Are you anxious? Nervous? Worried? Frightened
  Do you feel like something horrible is going to happen?
  Are you tense, stressed? Uptight? On edge? Unsettled?
  Do you feel unreal? Strange? Woozy? Detached?
  Are you panicky?

How Our Body Works?

1     1.     Heart pounds, races, skips a beat?
2.     Chest feels tight or painful?
3.     Tingling or numbness in toes or fingers?
4.     Stomach churning or butterflies?
5.     Having to use toilet?
6.     Jumpy or restless?
7.     Tense muscles?
8.     Body aching?
9.     Sweating?
10. Breathing changes?
11. Dizzy, light-headed?

How We Think?

1    1.     Constant Worrying?
2.     Can’t Concentrate?
3.     Thoughts Racing?
4.     Mind jumping from one thing to another?
5.     Imagining the worse and constantly thinking about it?

How We Behave?

1    1.     Pace Up and Down
2.     Start jobs and not finish
3.     Can’t sit and relax
4.     On the go all the tie
5.     Talking quickly or more than usual
6.     Snappy and irritable behavior
7.     Drinking alcohol more
8.     Smoking more
9.     Eating more or less
10. Avoiding fearful situations

Anxiety is an illness that cannot be cured. But with careful management, it can be reduced and treated. You must learn to work on your anxiety by:

·      Understanding your anxiety better

·      Reducing the physical symptoms

·      Altering your thoughts related to anxiety

·      Changing your behaviors related to anxiety

If you do not do these things, the following can occur if you tend to treat your anxiety by following the advice of the worst ways to cope with your anxiety. If you see yourself in any of these situations, please contact a mental health professional or your primary care physician and seek medical attention immediately.

Top Five Unhealthy Ways to Cope with Anxiety

Unhealthy Thinking– Worry, Obsessive thinking, Rumination – all of these can trap your mind in an endless loop and spiral into more advanced mood disorders such as Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Panic Disorder, and other psychological conditions.  Obsessive thinking exaggerates and extends upsetting feelings. Rumination focuses on future outcomes of events that haven’t occurred or gives the person something to worry about by having an uncontrollable preoccupation of the past.

Unhealthy Eating

Stress and anxiety increases your appetite along with triggering the release of a number of chemicals in the brain including adrenaline and cortisol. These make you feel alert to help you handle any threat and make you ready for action. However, whenever you’re overly stimulated with anxiety, your body begins to crave comfort foods for biological and psychological reasons. Your body craves foods associated with memories from childhood and comfort.

Unhealthy Drinking/Drugs/Illicit (Illegal) Activities

One way to avoid your anxiety is to self-medicate with alcohol, drugs or illegal drugs, or other types of illicit activity such as self-harm, like cutting. These activities do not reduce the anxiety, replace the anxiety, or remove the anxiety. They only delay or magnify the symptoms.

Unhealthy Sleeping

One way the body deals with an anxiety attack is to shut down all bodily functions, and sleep. You may think that if you sleep away your anxiety, you will awaken with the anxiety gone and you can then go on with your life. It doesn’t work that way. You’ll only have slept away most of your days and nights and not accomplished anything but worry your family and friends, and possibly lost your job or gotten behind on paying your bills. The anxiety will still be there.

Unhealthy Withdrawal from Social Functions/Friends/Family

When you withdraw from friends, you may begin watching too much television, or do too much of one activity alone. This is not healthy for you. You cannot avoid your issues my avoiding your friends and family. 

Top Five Best Ways to Cope with Anxiety

Physical/Relaxation Exercise

Try some physical exercise to get the heart beating at a regular beat that stretches your muscles, but also try some relaxation methods such  as aerobics, walking, yoga, or massage as well.  By keeping up with healthy exercise, you will automatically assume a healthy sleep cycle.

Social Activities

Keep up with activities in your age group or neighborhood. Go to a senior center if need be, or other group in your appropriate age group. Find out what activities are taking place and join. Talk to your family and friends and form a regular weekly game night. Do whatever makes you happy and joyful.

Maintain a Support System

Reach out and connect with others who you trust and can stay in contact with on a regular basis. Make sure that you include your mental health physician or therapist, your primary doctor, a neighbor, your life partner or closest friend, and anyone else you can trust. These are people who you will be able to go to if you ever need to when an anxiety episode strikes or if you feel the need to use emergency services someone there can call one of these people for you.

Prayer/Meditation

If it so moves you, join a local church of your affiliation. There are many functions among the church family. You can always ask for prayer or find someone to pray with you. Listening to self-guided hypnosis or meditation is another way to help you relax and cope with your anxiety.

Healthy Eating

Maintain a healthy balanced diet, as much as possible. Eat lean protein, green vegetables and drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated and avoid sugar and processed foods.

When you become aware of how you handle anxiety, you make healthier choices. Studies suggest that highlighting social ties can deliver certain health benefits.

Remember, you are only one defining decision from a totally different life.

image courtesy of incredible joy.com