The healing power of movement (04/11/20)

This week Trish Morgan, Lecturer in Adult Nursing, talks about the healing power of movement.

‘Movement is healing – a medicine not just for the body but also for the mind and soul’.

Author unknown

As the pandemic continues to impact on the way we live, it is crucial we look after ourselves both mentally and physically. With many of us working/studying from home, moving our bodies is more important than ever. Exercise can help keep the body strong and it also releases endorphins which benefits our mental health.

Although working/studying from home has many benefits, it can also mean people are less likely to move from their desks as often. Office working/attending campus regularly incorporated mobility through going to meetings, walking to lectures, speaking to colleagues/peers or heading out for lunch. Employees/students working from home can spend hours in the same position, as they don’t have as many natural interruptions to their day. Spending a large amount of time sitting down can be detrimental to our health, contributing to higher rates of back issues, other musculoskeletal problems, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

The benefits of movement and exercise are well known but often it not seen as a priority in the busy working/studying day. Thinking about the ever increasing ‘to-do’ list or not being able to muster up the energy to do anything other than work can sabotage any attempts to get moving. The following suggestions can help incorporate some form of movement and exercise around your working/studying day.

Moving in the working day

Unless you are a wheelchair user, sitting for prolonged periods of time is not good for us. Make sure you are having regular standing breaks. Set a period of time to stand up and move around e.g. stand and move every hour. The UK Chief Medical Officers' Physical Activity Guidelines report recommends breaking up long periods of sitting time with activity for just 1 to 2 minutes every hour. When possible, do some stretches in your working day. Your back and body will thank you for it. Here are some exercises you can do at your chair to promote mobility.

Incorporating exercise into your daily life

With the diminishing daylight hours and increasingly bad weather, how can we motivate ourselves to undertake some form of exercise? Here are some suggestions to help make exercise a priority during the Winter months.

• Set intentions and goals to exercise

Set your intention to exercise and write it down. Use positive language ‘ I am’ rather than ‘I might’. Writing down your intention to exercise gives you a greater chance of success. Some suggestions may be ‘I am going to have a walk at 7am in the morning before my working day’.

As well as writing your intentions down, you could also set daily, weekly and even monthly goals. This may be in the form of a certain amount of daily steps, undertaking the stairs a certain amount of times weekly or signing up for an organised walk or run. Setting a daily goal or a goal with a designated time will help keep you motivated to exercise.

• Find an exercise friend

Another way to stay motivated is to commit time to walking/ running with a friend. Although there are restrictions as a result of COVID-19, exercising with another person is still permitted, as long as social distancing is maintained. Booking into the same on-line gym class with a friend can help you both stay accountable to getting your exercise done together.

• Get dressed!

Get your exercise attire on first thing if you intend to exercise at some point in the day. The biggest hurdle to actually going to the gym or getting outside to exercise is the actual act of getting ready to go. A friend often described this as the difficulty in ‘crossing the threshold’ when she lacked motivation to go to her exercise class. Once dressed in suitable clothing, it makes it much easier to stay committed and more likely that you cross the threshold to exercise.

• Use music or podcasts

For most people, music has the incredible power to promote movement. Make a track list of your favourite songs and use this as the soundtrack for your exercise. Podcasts or audiobooks are also a great way to motivate you on a long walk or run. It is important to be aware of your surroundings so listening with one headphone inserted is a safer option.

• Exercise at home

If you can’t leave the house, you could access an exercise class online instead. There are lots of online gyms to join and free classes you can access via the internet/ YouTube. Joe Wicks was a popular choice during the first lockdown with ‘PE with Joe’ and he has lots of short videos to cater for all the family. Utilise your home environment e.g. do the stairs for a certain amount of time, use tins of food to lift for strength training. Remember 15 minutes of exercise is better than not exercising

• The right mindset can help with motivation

When we reframe our mindset it can be beneficial in stressful times and help us adapt healthier habits. People who see stressful events as “challenges” with an opportunity to learn and adjust, tend to cope better than those who focus more on any potential barriers e.g. possibility of failure, embarrassment or illness. So even on the coldest, darkest evening, embracing a walk rather than dreading it, can provide that much needed motivation to get out the door.

For more information on this please read this Guardian article on how we should think like a Norwegian as we head into the Winter months. 

While it is healthy to rest some days, regular exercise is a crucial component of a healthy lifestyle. Make a point to move during your working day and on most days, try to incorporate some form of exercise to enhance your overall wellbeing.