For each and every one of us, life is more stressful right now. Our daily routines have shifted. Nearly every aspect of our life is Affected by the COVID-19 outbreak.
This is why we need to Keep Moving. Especially now:
- Stress puts your body in a state where healing, repair and protection from illness are down regulated as it prepares to handle the ‘threat’.
- Stress makes thinking clearly and creatively more challenging.
- All that happens in your body during this stress response is preparing your body to move, to fight or flee the problem.
- If you are moving less, and stressing more, your body has a lower defense against illness and your ability to creatively deal with the multitude of problems this situation presents is lowered.
- Movement, that is stress reducing, is your best way to put your body back in a healing and protective state.
How to use movement and exercise to help you stay mentally and physically well right now:
- For everyone:
- This is not the time to greatly increase and challenge your body. Doing too much too soon is stressful for your body and lowers its defenses.
- This is also not the time to give up on exercise. Adjust what you are doing so your body can help keep you well
- This is a great time to start moving regularly if you don’t already.
- Use exercise and movement to reduce stress. That is most important right now.
- If you regularly exercise
- keep in mind that something is better than nothing. Even shorter, less intense bouts of exercise can do wonders for you physically and mentally.
- This is a great time to discover something new. The internet is full of exercise programs.
- Start slow and progress gradually with any new form of exercise so it is not stressful for your body
- If you do not exercise regularly,
- take small movement breaks for as long as feels good for your body to avoid prolonged stillness
- at a light to moderate intensity for your breathing and muscles
- repeat several times a day avoiding more than 30-60 minutes of stillness
- move in ways that calm your mind, make you smile, and feel good for your body
- Walk, dance, stretch, anything that feels good mentally and physically
I will continue to post information on this site about how to keep moving and be well during this pandemic. Post your questions and comments below and let’s keep reminding each other to Keep Moving. Especially now.
Keep Moving, Be Well,
Janet
Keep Moving Weekly 