Today’s Wednesday Wisdom features PurePower founder, Don McLaughlin, talking about the important connection between mental health and movement.
Many studies have shown the powerful connection between regular exercise and the benefits it has on mental health. In fact, one study at Duke University shows that 30 minutes of exercise 3 times per week is as effective as antidepressants. Another report from the Mayo Clinic, studied the physiological and neurological benefits of exercise. This study found that the body naturally creates endogenous cannabinoids when one exercises. This is a similar effect some see when they take CBD hemp oil, which seems to help magnify the benefits of exercise.
So, how do you make exercise a regular habit?
Exercising 3 times per week is easier said than done. However, here are a few tips to make exercise habitual.
1. Do something you enjoy. Whether you like to run, hike, swim, practice yoga, dance…do a form of movement that you enjoy. It makes it much easier to stay motivated when you love your exercise routine. If this is your first time exercising, try a couple of different routines or shake it up frequently until you figure out what it is you enjoy.
2. If you happen to do exercise in a way you don’t necessarily enjoy, add an aspect of something you do enjoy. Like if you don’t love going to the gym, but you went anyway, try listening to your favorite playlist, podcast, audiobooks, etc. in order to make it a more enjoyable experience.
3. Celebrate consistency, it’s more important than quality. Even if you only get 10-15 minutes of regular movement in, celebrate it! It is more important to make movement a regular habit than it is to work out for a longer period of time. Celebrating the little accomplishments will help you reinforce the pattern to move regularly.
