You were born to move…to walk, stand, sit, reach, turn, lunge, and to regularly pull, push, and hoist things even if only your body weight. Moving keeps your joints flexible and your muscles strong. Every time your muscles contract, the body releases myokines, anti-inflammatory proteins that help protect it from disease.
It’s easy to equate movement with exercise. By definition, exercise is any planned, structured, repetitive, and intentional movement intended to improve physical fitness. On the other hand, movement is any body action that requires energy. Although both are important, it’s time to stop thinking that exercise is the only way to stay fit and embrace how everyday movement can be part of your resilience plan.
Do you remember how you moved as a kid? Did you play tag or kick-the-can? Did you ride a bike or swim?
How did you move when you were in your teens? Did you dance? Run track? Play tennis, basketball, or volleyball?
Movement supports all body functions and systems. It moves oxygen to your brain, improves circulation, and releases hormones that both calm and energize.
It’s no surprise that movement activates the cardiovascular system, strengthens muscles and bones, and boosts the respiratory endurance of your lungs. The physical benefits are many…from lower blood pressure, better blood sugar regulation, healthier cholesterol levels, and a calmer sympathetic nervous system, to improved stability, balance, and coordination.
Did you know that movement enhances joy, too?
Moving your body is one of the most beneficial things you can do for your mind.
~ Kelly McGonigal, PhD
In her book, The Joy of Movement, Dr. McGonigal explains how movement can help you find happiness, hope, connection, and courage by activating the brain’s reward center and boosting resilience.
Joy and connecting with others
You don’t have to run to get the release of endorphins known as a runner’s high. Any sustained physical activity such as walking, swimming, riding a bike, or dancing can release a class of brain chemicals called endocannabinoids. The amygdala and prefrontal cortex, areas of the brain that regulate the stress response, are rich in endocannabinoid receptors. When endocannabinoid molecules flood these receptors, anxiety is reduced, and a state of contentment sets in. Endocannabinoids also increase the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain’s reward center, increasing your capacity for joy and leaving you more open to connecting with others. Adults lose up to 13% of the dopamine receptors in the brain’s reward center each decade. A decline in dopamine receptors means the potential for less enjoyment of everyday pleasures. Staying physically active – moving – can prevent this decline.
Courage to transform
The brain is a super-highway of neural connections. Every time you move your body, the brain sends signals that can modify the nervous system’s default state, making it less prone to the acute stress response known as fight or flight. Courage is the side-effect. According to Dr. McGonigal, research suggests that lactate – the metabolic by-product of body movement – has a positive effect on mental health. “After lactate is released by muscles, it travels through the bloodstream to the brain, where it alters your neurochemistry in a way that can reduce anxiety and protect against depression.” When faced with adversity or doubts about physical and emotional strength, it helps to move the body so that the mind can instinctively make sense of the physical actions. Perceiving this movement is sometimes referred to as the “sixth sense” and can propel you to counter the internal voice that wants to keep you down.
We were born to move, not just for physical benefits but also for psychological benefits – strength and resilience.
I always enjoy hearing from you. Let me know how you use movement to support your resilience.
If you missed previous posts about resilience and sleep, you can catch up here.
References:
Arida, R.M., and Teixeira-Machado, L. (2021, January 20). The Contribution of Physical Exercise to Brain Resilience. Retrieved February 14, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7874196/
Cherry, K. (2019, August 18). How the Fight-or-Flight Response Works. Retrieved February 14, 2022, from https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-fight-or-flight-response-2795194
Grinspoon, P. (2021, August 11). The endocannabinoid system: Essential and mysterious. Retrieved February 14, 2022, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-endocannabinoid-system-essential-and-mysterious-202108112569
Lipman, F. (2018). How to Be Well; The 6 Keys to a Happy and Healthy Life. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. New York.
McGonigal, K. (2020, January 6). Five Surprising Ways Exercise Changes Your Brain. Retrieved February 14, 2022, from https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/five_surprising_ways_exercise_changes_your_brain
