Over last weekend, I went for a long bicycle ride with a couple of friends on the Macomb Orchard Trail. I love this trail as it has options for long rides and several small-town destinations. There are places to stop to take photos, and the shaded trail is well maintained and beautiful. My friend Karen is a more hard-core rider than I am, so I always know when I go for a ride with her, it will be longer than I usually go on my own. I love her can-do spirit and her ability to enjoy the entire process and the fabulous scenery. She often stops to take photos and selfies; as you can see, I have shared some here in this blog. In the pictures are Karen, Colleen, and I on the ride.
We rode 30 miles, ten to fifteen miles more than I usually ride on any given day. The day was pure sunshine, cloudless blue sky, a cool breeze, and comfortable riding conditions. We met at our local bike shop near the trail entrance and took off around ten o’clock AM. The ride was excellent, we stopped a few times to take photos, use the restroom, and buy water and snacks at a local store, so it was an enjoyable day.
When I returned home more than four hours later, I quickly showered, got ready, and went to a graduation party. After the graduation party, I was exhausted. Not sleepy, but that kind of tiredness that tells me I may have overdone it a little with my great workout. My muscles were drained of energy, and I knew I would be sore in the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours. I love that tired feeling. “Good pain,” my high school volleyball coach said. My kid’s fencing coach would tell them, “Pain is weakness leaving the body.”
As I was lying on the couch, watching television with the weakness leaving my body, I started to think about how important exercise is to our physical and mental health.
According to the CDC website: “Some benefits of physical activity on brain health happen right after a session of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Benefits include improved thinking or cognition for children and reduced short-term feelings of anxiety for adults. Regular physical activity can help keep your thinking, learning, and judgment skills sharp as you age. It can also reduce your risk of depression and anxiety and help you sleep better.”
The Mayo Clinic sites research that says that exercising boosts your energy levels by increasing the oxygen-carrying capacity of your heart and lungs. More oxygen helps your muscles and brain work better, increasing your ability to handle daily tasks and stressful emotions.
Immediately after a long ride, I feel tired as my muscles rest and restore, but soon after, I have more energy to tackle tasks than I do on days I don’t get exercise. Short exercise sessions clear your head and help you focus on things you want to do. Just taking a brisk walk around the block will help you reduce your stress levels and help you let go of some of your worrying thoughts.
Last week I was working with one of my coaching clients, and we were talking about stress management techniques and things we can do to manage stress before it reaches anxiety level. We started to talk about our likes and dislikes regarding exercise. I told her that exercise is one of the best ways to clear your head and manage stress. Doing something you like is even better, but you don’t have to love exercise to choose something and just do it. (Thanks, Nike)
So, spend a little time this week thinking about the activities that are available to you. Do you like to walk, hike, dance, or do yoga? If you tell me you don’t like any exercise, I will challenge you to choose one anyway. Whether you currently exercise or not, take a vow to add one thing into your daily routine. It can be as simple as taking a short walk at lunch or as complex as dance classes, or interval training with a professional trainer. Commit to one activity to help you improve your body and change your mind into one that handles stress just a little bit better.
When you feel the physical pain, think of it as stress leaving your body.
Dr. Julie Cappel
“When you exercise, it increases endorphins, dopamine, adrenaline and endocannabinoid — these are all brain chemicals associated with feeling happy, feeling confident, feeling capable, feeling less anxiety and stress and even less physical pain.” - Dr. Kelly McGonical
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