Exercise can be the best medicine
Staying active can protect physical and mental health!
Seeing exercise as a natural prescription for better physical and mental health can be the mindset switch that many of us need to prioritise physical activity in our everyday routines.
You don’t have to go full-on with fitness to feel the benefits, even just 30 minutes of movement a day can work wonders!
Read on for more information on how exercise can put you on a path to better, healthier wellbeing.
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Exercise and physical health
Aiding musculoskeletal conditions
Physical exercise is one of the best things the body can do to keep joints and muscles healthy. This rings especially true for People who have musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions, where water-based activities like swimming are often recommended. Thanks to the natural resistance and buoyancy of water, swimming strengthens muscles and eases strain while keeping the whole body active!
Boosting immune system
Moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (think walking, cycling, and even dancing!) can give your immunity a boost by increasing the circulation of immune cells in the body. The better the circulation, the more prepared the body will be to ward off infections. Increased blood flow will give your cells the oxygen and nutrients needed to get back to full health too.
Regular exercise plays a key role in supporting recovery—and it's not just for elite athletes!
Making recovery a priority benefits everyone. Gentle movement and increased blood flow help ease stiffness and tension, and simple stretching is a great place to start. It's all about helping your body feel better, faster.
Exercise and mental health
Reducing stress
Exercise is a go-to activity when it comes to reducing stress – something that affects many of us in our day-to-day. Any type of exercise pumps up our endorphins, which are our happy hormones. These can increase feelings of happiness and reduce feelings of pain – which explains ‘runner’s high’!
Improving sleep quality
Any aerobic exercise that gets your heart pumping has been linked to reducing the time it takes to fall asleep (sleep onset) and increasing your sleep quality as a result. Just make sure to exercise 1 to 2 hours before going to bed though, so that your endorphins and core body temperature have time to wind down!
Helping brain function
Memory and thinking are areas which can be compromised by reduced sleep and increased stress, but exercise can alleviate them. Any kind of exercise which increases your heart rate – whether that’s some cardio or resistance training – helps the area of the brain involved in verbal memory and learning too!
What to do if exercise is new to you
There are so many ways to stay healthy and get moving! We know for many People this can be daunting though, particularly if staying active isn’t in your routine or you’ve taken a step back from exercise for a while. Exercise looks and feels different to everyone.
The first step is to figure out what kind of exercise you think you can stay consistent with. If you want to go solo, a quick workout in the gym could be a good start. Perhaps you’d like some company around you? That’s where group workout classes and sports can come in handy!
Finding out what exercise you find fun is also important. If you have fun while you stay active, you’re more likely to keep up with it!
Many of our centres also have personal trainers too, who are all qualified and can offer you personalised, one-to-one guidance on your fitness journey. You can see them on the Profile Boards in our gyms, which give you information about each one.
As always, it’s important to take things slow and seek medical advice when increasing your exercise levels. If you feel like you need more support to manage your symptoms, we recommend talking to a GP/health professional.
Sources: Exercise is medicine (National Library of Medicine) | Exercise and stress: Get moving to manage stress (Mayo Clinic) | Can exercise boost your immune system? Yes if you do it correctly – here’s how (Women’s Health)
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