What can we do for our health and well being during the Pandemic?

Our Gp’s often say that we should take part in regular exercise, due to its many health benefits. It is recommended that adults do 30 minutes of exercise a day when possible. Or at least 150 minutes a week. It may seem quite daunting trying to get enough exercise completed.

But it can take many forms. Choose a more traditional form of exercise, such as running, weight training and walking. Or something more extreme once the lockdown has finished such as rock climbing and Triathlons. Let’s breakdown some of the benefits:

Walking or running

If you're a smart-watch owner, you're probably already anxiously tracking your steps to see how little exercise you're doing. It is okay to go for a walk or run, as long as you keep more than two metres away from other people and you only go once a day.

The typical goal on smart-watches is to achieve 10,000 steps-a-day.

Either get competitive or try to achieve this every single day or set a goal that is more suited to your abilities.

Challenging yourself and achieving physical goals will give you something to work towards and stimulate your mind as well as your muscles.

Strengthen Muscles

Firstly, doing regular exercise strengthens your muscles, joints, and bones. This not only increases your overall strength and fitness. It also lowers your risk of developing osteoporosis. Furthermore, increased strength can mean a better posture and a decreased risk of falls, especially in older adults.

Dancing

Working out doesn't need to feel forced. If you love to get down on the dance floor, dancing is a great way to get your heart rate up and burn some calories.

Stick on your favourite album or create a playlist of your favourite songs and get moving!

If you're a particularly smooth mover with experience, why not watch some music videos and try to learn the routines?

A huge trend at the moment is the app TikTok.

The app is full of users all doing the same viral dance routines. Look into it and get practising!

Feel Fitter - Feel Happier

Exercise also has mental health benefits. It releases endorphins and serotonin in your brain, making you feel happier. Regular exercise has been confirmed in helping to reduce your stress levels, lifting your mood and increasing your mental wellbeing.

Weight Management

One of the most common reasons people exercise is to help with weight loss. Being a healthy weight can have many health benefits, such as reducing the risk of a heart attack and developing some forms of Diabetes. Some exercise, such as weight training, can also aid in sustainable weight gain, if this is your goal.

Reduce the Pressure

Making exercise part of your daily routine can help to lower your blood pressure. Having a high blood pressure can put strain on your arteries and heart. As a result, your risk of a stroke and heart problems goes down as your blood pressure goes down.

Quality Sleep

Regular exercise is also linked to getting better sleep!

Studies have shown that adults who did at least 150 minutes of exercise a week had their quality of sleep increase by up to 65%. If you’re struggling sleeping, try upping your exercise to reap this benefit.

Fitting regular exercise into your routine clearly has many benefits that don’t stop at the ones listed here! Finding the right exercise that fits in with your lifestyle is very important. Find you’re favourite which you are more likely to stick to the routine. Therefore take advantage of the long and short term benefits. Above all, it is important to find an exercise that you enjoy, so you can gain these health and well being benefits while having fun.