Just a Bit of Exercise
Exercise is something we all know is good for us and we also know that it's often difficult to fit into our daily schedule. Researchers are constantly telling us that it not only helps relieve stress and depression, it can aid in other ways such as your overall feeling of well-being.
A new study published in Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise looked at a small sample of participants (just 40) and found that 30 minutes of walking on a treadmill left this group feeling "good, as shown by elevated scores for 'vigor' on one index and 'well-being' on the other." Granted these weren't psychologists who conducted the study, but it shows the power of just one brief stint of walking.
So, what about you? Can you walk for 30 minutes? If not, there's research that seems to indicate that you may get the same benefit from spaced exercise throughout the day.
Can you do five minutes? Does it need to be walking outside or can you walk in place anywhere in your home? I think it's really what works best for you. You are going to feel better if you do even a bit of exercise and both your body and your mind will tell you which exercise regime works best for you.
Related Topics: Overcoming Barriers to Starting a Fitness Plan, Your Workout Personality
Technorati Tags: exercise, walking, stress, depression,
A new study published in Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise looked at a small sample of participants (just 40) and found that 30 minutes of walking on a treadmill left this group feeling "good, as shown by elevated scores for 'vigor' on one index and 'well-being' on the other." Granted these weren't psychologists who conducted the study, but it shows the power of just one brief stint of walking.
So, what about you? Can you walk for 30 minutes? If not, there's research that seems to indicate that you may get the same benefit from spaced exercise throughout the day.
Can you do five minutes? Does it need to be walking outside or can you walk in place anywhere in your home? I think it's really what works best for you. You are going to feel better if you do even a bit of exercise and both your body and your mind will tell you which exercise regime works best for you.
Related Topics: Overcoming Barriers to Starting a Fitness Plan, Your Workout Personality
Technorati Tags: exercise, walking, stress, depression,
6 Comments:
It sounds so easy to find 30 minutes to walk, doesnt' it?
Moving from motivation to action is the problem for many, like me. I know I need to exercise, I know I will feel better, I know it is goof for my health, I want to exercie, ... but it doesn't get done. I go from Plan, to Inaction, to Shame; pick myself back up then do it again! There's my exercise, but it doesn't do much for me, does it!
I hope your next blog is on self-discipline!
~Tasker
No it doesn't do much for you. There's no reason to feel guilty because you haven't done anything to "earn" that.
What about one minute of walking in place? Say, while you're stirring something on the stove or standing at the post office waiting to buy stamps? Just that and nothing more. Get into a habit and stick with it and then see if you can work up to two minutes.
This isn't easy, Tasker, but if it were something that you absolutely couldn't get out of, like paying taxes, wouldn't you do it? Isn't it better to do this tiny bit of exercise than to suffer who knows what consequences?
Believe me, I know about being busy and pulled from one place to another, but this isn't a choice--it's an absolute necessity.
Sorry I'm sounding like one of those pesky authority figures.
For a good description of a stress management routine based on combining conventional Western medicine, alternative medicine, and spirituality practice, check out the excerpt at AuthorViews from "A Life in Balance: Nourishing the Four Roots of True Happiness," by Dr. Kathleen A. Hall -- a student of Dr. Dean Ornish (Preventive Medicine Research Institute) and Dr. Herbert Benson (Harvard University's Mind-Body Institute). The piece is a nice take on the latest in integrative medicine from someone who has paid her dues and speaks the truth.
Check out the excerpt here.
Interesting... my Pain Psychologist, Primary doctor, and PT have me in a supervised exercise program that I must attend 3x per week. This is what they feel to be a key component of my treatment for depression.
There appears to be a lot of information available from studies involving the benefits of including regular exercise as part of the treatment plan for many physical and/or mental health issues. My Pain Psych keeps giving me more examples of this almost every time I see him.
The thing that puzzles me is that the recommended level and type of cardio/activity seems to vary immensley depending on which article you read.
I am fighting both physical and mental problems right now. The primary reason my care providers have put me into a supervised program is to make sure that I am working out at a level that will be strenuous enough to provide the effects they desire.
By this I mean that I am required to do 40 minutes of cardio on an exercise bike that is intense enough to increase my heartrate to at least the moderate range of my target heart rates. They tell me that I have to do a workout this intense in order to ensure that my activity is strenuous to trigger my brain to greatly increase its production of endorphines.
Of course the extra endorphines are supposed to in turn help improve my mood, motivation, and overall outlook, as well as help decrease my pain levels.
Why is it that some articles say that simply going for a leisurely stroll is beneficial? What my care providers explained makes sense. How does just taking a walk benefit your body if it isn't intense enough to trigger the biochemical changes that occur with a more intense workout? Is it in essence a placebo effect?
Of course I realize that ANY activity is better than none but I'm just curious about the endorphin effect, as I understand that it takes a more vigorous workout to acheive the benefits of this natural biochemical effect.
Thanks :)
My problem is that when I work out I feel like my heart rate sky rockets too quickly. My Doctor says Im doing fine and that there should be no problem. I also suffer from paranoia, thinking that every little thing is going to kill me. I know thats ridiculous. I tell myself that all the time, I also suffer from panic attacks and irrational thoughts ( like, Im going to die or something.) I am praying that God will help me through this, I know he will. Its just getting through thats hard. Anyway. If theres anyone who understands this, feel free to respond.
So, Do runners throw up after marathon because of sn excess of Endorphines or seratonin. They say dehydration, but I wonder if the increased hormone levels could cause this reaction as if drunk or extremely nervous?
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