Editor’s Note: This article was submitted by AJ Beddow, Exercise Physiologist at OhioHealth and Strive to Thrive personal trainer.
To put it mildly, 2020 has been a chaotic year. COVID-19 has forced us to change many of our daily routines and the way we go about our lives. Facemasks have turned our friends into strangers.
Toilet paper became a hot commodity. People are singing “Happy Birthday” when washing their hands (proper hand washing takes 20 seconds – approximately the amount of time is takes you to sing “Happy Birthday” twice). Life is a bit stressful – and weird – for a lot of us right now.
Luckily for us, exercise is an incredible stress reliever. Working from home? Try going for a walk between meetings. Kids are in online learning from home? Put some headphones in and listen to your favorite music while you lift some weights. Oftentimes, you’ll feel any tension and stress you may have from the day fade away as you progress through your favorite form of exercise.
Here are 3 major ways exercise can help cope with stress:
— It’s an endorphin booster: Endorphins are the brains feel-good transmitters, and exercise leads to a major boost in such transmitters. Ever wonder why you feel so good after a workout? Thank your endorphins!
— It occupies your mind. During exercise, we tend to forget about what is stressing us out and focus more on the task at hand. This change in focus from stressful events to exercise can serve as a much needed break.
— It improves your overall mood. Exercise is a great self-confidence booster. You’ll feel more and more accomplished after each workout you complete. Exercise can also improve your sleeping patterns. Poor sleeping patterns can have a significant impact on our mood, and any improvement in our sleep quality will help improve our mood.
Need additional guidance and motivation? If you are considering joining a gym, give us a call. The OhioHealth Ontario Health and Fitness Center has taken extraordinary measures to keep the fitness center safe. As a clinically integrated medical fitness center, we are following OhioHealth safety standards in addition to the responsible guidelines for reopening fitness centers set forth by the State of Ohio. For more information call the OhioHealth Ontario Health and Fitness Center at (419) 526.8900.
