Make Winter Exercise Your Remedy Of Choice
The benefits of winter exercise are enormous, and evidence continues to mount that exercise is a powerful natural drug in the treatment of depression.
As we enter the coldest months of winter and the promise of spring seems far off, I encourage you, if you haven’t already, to create a workout plan to keep your body and mood in good shape as you look forward to warmer weather.
In other words, the exercise you do in warmer months won’t help you stay optimally healthy if you spend your winter sitting around the house.
If you don’t regularly exercise, just getting going is key. It’s fine to start small, say with a short daily walk. Build from there by developing your own exercise strategy.
The colder months can take a toll on both your physical and mental well-being. It’s estimated that at least a quarter of a million Americans suffer from the winter blues.
A case of the winter blues can include some or all of the following symptoms:
- Boredom, restlessness
- Lethargy, feelings of fatigue
- Irritability and a feeling of being cooped up or “stir crazy”
- Trouble concentrating
- Sweet cravings, overeating
- Loss of interest in sex
And,
The colder months and lack of sunshine can also seriously deplete or even wipe out your vitamin D stores.
Exercise has been found to work better than antidepressants to treat symptoms of depression. Just getting outside for a walk or to the gym for a 30 minute workout can improve your mood, both short and longer term.
If you enjoy winter sports like downhill or cross-country skiing or ice skating, which are great for your body and get you outdoors, by all means take advantage of the colder weather to engage in those activities.
If winter sports aren’t your thing, on sunny days get out for a brisk walk so you can benefit from both the movement and the sunshine. Breathe in the fresh, crisp air and enjoy the warmth of the sun on your skin.
It’s very important to choose exercises you enjoy and then alternate among them to ward off boredom. Indoors during the winter months, your choices might include:
- Playing racquetball
- Joining an aerobics class
- Jogging on an indoor track
- Doing Pilates or yoga
- Weight training
- Dancing
- Kickboxing
Exercise helps boost your immune system, which means fewer colds and flu during the winter months.
Exercise is also a great way to relieve tension and manage the dangerous physical symptoms of stress. When you exercise, endorphins are released in your brain. Endorphins are all natural tranquilizers and mood elevators which create feelings of relaxation and renewal.
Want to know more about winter exercise? Then, post your question below.
Yours truly for great health, mind and body,
Michelle, natural health advocate
January 23 2010 12:05 pm | Fitness and Natural Remedies
July 26th, 2010 at 10:47 am
Good blog! Just one question: I’ve been using this RSS reader application. How do i go about subscribing your site to it?