Exercise in Recovery

The Science

The benefits of exercise on health, mental wellness, and recovery have been researched with positive results, so much so that it is considered a primary prevention of many diseases. In clinical studies, it has also been shown effective in treating mild anxiety and depression. What is it that makes you feel so good? Many studies conclude that exercise is one way to produce endorphins, which offer short-term pain relief by blocking pain receptors, increasing cognition such as focus and memory, and offering a temporary euphoric feeling among other things. In addition to endorphins, serotonin and dopamine production are also improved through exercise. Unlike endorphins, serotonin and dopamine are longer lasting chemicals that support relief from stress and anxiety, improved mood, and improvement in cognitive functions. It is recommended by the American Heart Association and American College of Sports Medicine to include aerobic training and weightlifting as part of a balanced exercise program. Many studies specific to mental health are performed on aerobic exercise and hormone production; however recent studies are testing the impact that strength and resistance training have on mental wellness. One area that has been hypothesized is the impact that training has on the ability to cope with and manage stressors, known as the cross-stress adaptation hypothesis. The brain produces cortisol, which in normal amounts, is beneficial to many body functions; however, it is also produced to respond to stress and can have negative effects with prolonged production. Exercise acts as a form of stress and cortisol is produced while exercising, offering the body the ability to develop neuropathways to experience and cope with a healthy level of stress. The development of neuropathways to manage stress may carry over into the ability to manage other stressors and triggers in other domains as well.   

Exercise also supports the mind-body connection. Muscle tension, headaches, stomach aches, fatigue, gastrointestinal issues, and difficulty recognizing physical cues and symptoms until they become more significant can develop when the body holds on to impactful emotional experiences, stress, or trauma. Based on the mind-body connection, there are now several somatic approaches to mental health treatment that recognize the ways in which the body holds many sensations, feelings, and thoughts and how tapping into movement can offer deeper understanding, expression, relief, and improvement in the communication and relationship you have with your body.  

Putting it Into Practice

Developing a consistent exercise routine can feel overwhelming at first. There are so many options, but making choices with realistic, achievable goals that utilize your personal interests and talents is a good starting spot. If you are not sure what to do, you may enjoy trying out different things and seeing which ones feel the most fun to you. Once you choose something, it is time to create a plan! 

The best plan is one that is realistic and achievable. Start by knowing ahead of time the day of the week, time of day, and workout plan. Choose a schedule that works with your other responsibilities, like your job and family. Create a plan that you can stick to. Aim for 3-4 days a week to maximize benefits. 

Even when you choose something you find fun, motivation may still be low when it is time to exercise. It could sound like a loud and demanding voice in your mind trying to convince you not to go. Challenging that voice takes practice.  

Before we explore how to combat that voice, let’s look at the big picture of what incorporating exercise into your life offers you. Scheduling time to exercise is essentially scheduling time to meet one of your needs. As a dynamic human being, you have MANY needs! It is your own responsibility to evaluate your needs and create a plan to address them. Movement and exercise provide many opportunities for needs to be met. Unfortunately, we live in a culture that does not encourage autonomy to meet individual needs. In fact, meeting individual needs is a privilege that not everyone has access to, and some needs become neglected when other needs take priority.   

This is important to consider because underneath that loud and compelling voice telling you to skip the workout, is another quiet and almost invisible voice, trying to tell you what your needs truly are. It is easy to mistake the loud and compelling voice as the true indicator of your needs, but it is not always right. Feeling connected to your needs and honoring them is radical when living in an environment where cultural norms often inform our decision making.  

When working on combating that voice, knowing with more certainty the needs that exercise meets for you could be helpful. From my own experience, working out fills my needs for fitness, reducing physical pain complaints, improving mental focus, improving my emotional state, socialization, experiencing personal growth, improvement in body control, honing a skill, challenging myself, feeling accomplished, and feeling of belonging and community.  

What are some of the needs that exercise meets for you? 

Tuning in and listening to your needs is important if you are going to combat the loud voice talking you out of going. Developing an affirmation that you can come back to can be a good reminder to take a moment to listen in on your needs. The affirmations are not about convincing yourself to work out or placing any guilt or shame on you if you choose not to, but more about listening to your body and your needs and finding the strength to make choices that are most honoring to your needs.  

Read some of these affirmations and see if any feel right for you, or use them as inspiration to create your own personal anchor- 

• Visualize your future self, embody the feelings that your future self holds. Feelings of autonomy, peace, strength, and pride. Today I can play a small part in the creation of this person I am manifesting.  
• I am working towards goals that allow me to live a life of health, wellness, and prosperity. Each day that I contribute, even a small amount, brings me closer to the reality I am cultivating. 
• I am developing a more attuned relationship with my mind and body. Today I will work on ignoring the loud and demanding voices inside and choose to listen to the soft whisper of my body guiding me on my way towards healing and wellness.  
• Just for today (or this hour, minute, moment, etc.), I agree to honor myself in the highest by carefully listening to my inner voice and respecting its ability to guide me.  
• My journey is meant to be experienced, in all its challenges and triumphs. Today I choose to direct my journey in a way that feels honoring to myself and I will be present for the experience.  
• Attending to my needs can be challenging and overwhelming at times. I can choose one challenge to overcome today to meet one of my needs.  
• Today my needs are different than they were yesterday. I can honor myself by acknowledging them and allowing space for them to exist and be met.  

Once you’ve gained clarity on your needs, you can identify if you can meet your needs through exercise, or if you have another competing need that requires priority. If you have competing needs that are taking you away from exercises regularly and it is causing a lot of inconsistency, consider talking to a trainer who can take a global look at you and your needs and help you find some solutions!  

So, what are some key takeaways? 

1. Exercise is great for your physical and mental health! (Think 3-4 days a week to reap the benefits) 
2. There are a lot of ways to exercise, so try different things out and see if you can find something that feels fun! 
3. Create a realistic and achievable schedule 
4. Wanting to workout may not come naturally! 
   • List out ways that it feels beneficial to you 
   • Hone in on the skill of listening carefully to your needs 
   • Follow the guidance of your needs 
   • Reach out to a trainer or coach for support if competing needs are causing inconsistency in your exercise routine 
   • Find a friend to work out with. Having an accountability partner can make working out more fun! 

Getting yourself a workout routine can be a huge challenge to overcome, but knowing what to do, how to do it, and progression is equally as important to keep you going for the long haul. In the future, check back to learn about using a trainer/coach vs. identifying and choosing a workout program vs. creating your own workouts/program and see what is best for you!