Exercise keeps you alert, energized and feeling good
By DR. STACIE VERNICK PERDUE • Correspondent • May 26, 2009
What’s the first thing you do when you are feeling down? Grab a bag of chips and plant yourself in front of the TV? Put on your favorite CD? Call a friend? Did you ever consider that exercise might improve your mood and promote your psychological well-being?
Exercise has been recommended by physicians and mental health professionals as a treatment option since the late 1970s. Today, many psychologists and psychiatrists rate it as a highly effective means for creating a positive mood and report that they are more likely to use exercise than any other technique to energize themselves.
Research findings indicate that exercise is associated with decreased depression, anxiety, fatigue, and anger and increased clarity of thinking, vigor, energy, and alertness. Exercise gets you energized and ready to perform at your optimum level and keeps you feeling good while you do.
There are multiple physiological explanations for the positive effects of exercise. Exercise increases blood flow in your brain, your brain’s maximal oxygen consumption, and the delivery of oxygen to cerebral tissues.
Exercise changes some of the neurotransmitters that contribute to your emotional experience. Perhaps most apparent, exercise reduces muscle tension, helps control weight, improves cardiovascular efficiency, and increases muscle tone and blood volume.
These physical changes increase your feelings of control, competency and self-efficacy, augment your sense of mastery, and provide opportunities for positive social interactions and support. All of this occurs while you participate in an enjoyable activity.
We all want to learn better ways to manage our stress. When coupled with a healthy diet and sufficient sleep, exercise is among the best means for doing so. You have likely experienced symptoms of stress such as tension in your neck and shoulders and a quick heart rate. Exercise is associated with reductions in physical indicators of stress like neuromuscular tension, resting heart rate, and stress hormones. Exercise halts the body’s fight or flight response to stress by relaxing muscles and reducing the secretion of stress-related hormones that increase blood pressure and heart rate. What’s more, exercise can help protect you from stress-related illnesses like insomnia, heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, diabetes , and some types of cancer.
Here are some ways to initiate and maintain an exercise program with the goals of enhancing mood, reducing stress, and promoting quality of life:
Visit your healthcare provider to obtain medical clearance prior to initiating an exercise program.
Try different forms of exercise until you find one (or more) that is enjoyable.
Be sure to have a variety of exercise options available, both indoors and outdoors.
Schedule exercise sessions in your daily planner just like other tasks. This ensures that exercise doesn’t get “bumped” by other responsibilities.
Consider exercising with a group. The sense of belonging adds to the experience, and your commitment to your fellow exercisers may help get you out the door.
Go to the gym or meet an exercise buddy at the same day and time each week and/or attend specific group exercise classes consistently.
Launch your exercise program gradually. Begin by exercising for 30 minutes three to four days per week. Increase the number of weekly exercise sessions and session duration over time.
Record details of your workouts in a journal (date, exercise type, duration) to maintain commitment and track progress.
Set attainable, short-term goals en route to long-term goals.
Exercise in a noncompetitive environment where you can focus on the enjoyment of the activity as opposed to competition or social evaluation.
Engage in rhythmic or repetitive movements that allow you to free your mind for introspection and/or creative thinking.
Reward yourself in meaningful ways when you achieve your goals. Earn that new exercise outfit, massage, or pair of sneakers.
Continue your exercise program for 10 weeks or more to obtain chronic benefits.
Have fun. Remember that exercise time is “me time” and make the most of every minute.
Dr. Stacie Vernick Perdue has offices in Warren and Morristown. More information is available by visiting www.wpaapc.com or by emailing stacievernick@yahoo.com.