Exercise’s best press agents may be weight loss and muscle building, but those aren’t the best things it does (nice when it happens, though.) For those of us trapped indoors with a good deal of stress, exercise has wonderful mental health benefits that are far more crucial right now.
Stress floods the body with cortisol, adrenaline, and a couple of other chemicals that are great for running away from danger, but not great for thinking clearly or for keeping one’s immune system in good shape. Exercise burns off these chemicals and produces endorphins that even lift your mood naturally. Some people even call it “Nature’s Antidepressant.”* So how do you exercise without going to the gym? If the weather is good and the rules don’t get much stricter, outdoor activities like walking, running, biking, skating, and skateboarding are great. Those have the bonus of exposing you to fresh air and sunlight, both of which are great for both body and mind. You get to remind yourself that the world outside your door is more than the stressful things you hear on the news: flowers still bloom, grass still grows, small dogs still look adorably silly, and nice people still wave from a distance if you happen to see each other. But let’s say the weather gets bad again or that the rules tighten down further: how do you stay active without leaving the house? I have a really dumb suggestion that has actually worked really well for me: pace. Pace across your living room. Pace down the hall. Pace anywhere you can walk a few steps and turn around. Pace while talking on the phone. Pace while listening to music or audiobooks. Pace a little every hour or two if your job is sedentary. It may seem like a small, silly thing to do, but if you stick to it, you will feel the difference. Because most of us live with other people, you may need to get creative about the use of common areas for this. You may have to have conversations about who gets to do what when. Doing jumping jacks upstairs from someone trying to work or study is downright rude, and nothing drove me nuts in Seminary like whoever was bouncing a basketball upstairs from me all the time. However, the people you live with can be great exercise partners, too: if you’re married, when was the last time you danced with your spouse at home? If you have young children, carrying them is great strength training, and playful rough housing can be great cardio. Speaking of kids: they need exercise, too. In fact, they probably need more of it than adults do to function. Those of you who have them have probably already figured this out, to put it mildly. Whether it’s a good time or place for it, generally they will get up and move. A lot. Why fight it? Instead, build it into the day and make it as fun as possible. Let them take regular breaks for physical activity and play, and make clear rules for them to follow to do it safely. Sure, you don’t want them to put someone’s eye out by playing tag inside a small apartment. You can still encourage lower speed, less destructive forms of physical activity like building pillow forts, playing pretend, and learning how to cook. For all ages, doing household chores can be a great, productive form of exercise. Also, all ages can be resistant to doing household chores. To get over that reluctance, combine the chores with something pleasurable, like listening to music or catching up with a loved one over speakerphone. Another fun option is to make household chores into a game where different tasks are different points and whoever gets the most points, wins. There are a few apps available that make it fun and easy to “gamify” household chores. Whatever you do, stay active! Your body and mind will thank you for it. *(If you take prescribed antidepressants, do not stop without consulting your doctor first. Even if you can manage your symptoms with exercise, tapering off of medication is a delicate business that has to be regulated by a professional rather than done cold turkey.)
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AuthorJillian Lutes is the youth pastor at West Covina Hills Seventh-day Adventist Church. Archives
May 2020
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