Tag Archives: exercise and endorphins

Anatomy, physiology and aging, Exercise goals & benefits

Exercise and feelings

So I have wanted to write about this for awhile. It’s about exercise but it is also about feelings. Exercise and feelings. What kind of feelings?

Well for me, the feelings start with physical movement. When I start to move, I look for and try to sense different things in my body including my muscle tone, my skin and the different shapes I make with my body and how it relates to the air and space around me, including the floor or ground.

There is term called “proprioception” which it my world is joint sense or knowing where your limb is in space and whether a joint is bent or straight for example. This doesn’t cover it all but it is a big part of what I feel. What about kinesthesia? What the heck is that and why is it so hard to find any satisfactory definition?

I could be wrong but I will use the term kinesthesia to include the following sensations in my body as they relate to movement: muscle tension (the good stuff), muscle tone (firmness), how my body occupies space, and the relative shape and position of one body part to another. I remember the first time I did an Essentrics® class, my hips and pelvis felt energized and toned, and I felt elevated both physically and emotionally.

OK. So maybe there were some endorphins or other natural body chemistry involved. I am not ashamed to say that I like the chemistry and prefer a type of exercise that induces their release.

So back to exercise and feeling. There are so many reasons to exercise (better health in a multitude of areas) but it is still a hard sell. So I’ve decided that I am just going to focus on what I want to feel, which is to feel more and feel better. Exercise is the best way I know how to do it. And it is literally, all up to me.

So if you want to feel more and feel better, try exercise. It doesn’t have to be complicated. It may be difficult at first, but if you start slowly and try to do it “right”, you can minimize the possibility of overdoing it. Finding the balance may be an ongoing process.

It is also fun to challenge yourself and look forward to better fitness. Relative fitness varies, in so many ways. Having goals and a variety of options will help you become a consistent exerciser. Finding some new approaches or tapping into some older approaches familiar to you may provide the challenge and evolution needed to keep you moving.

It’s spring in Canada, so being outside is a good idea when you can. Cover some distance. Get your heart rate up. Get warm. Check with your health or fitness professional if you are not sure where to start or have any concerns. Just move, more than you normally do. Your body will thank you (by giving back) and you will feel more and better.

Exercise and feeling: proprioception, kinesthesia, endorphins

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Brainhealth, Exercise goals & benefits

Exercise and mental health

Exercise and mental health are hot topics nowadays with the pandemic. In Toronto, we have started our third round “lock down” and you can’t help but wonder, “when is it going to end?” I have been steadfast in maintaining a physical activity routine despite not finding a strong internal motivation at times. It’s tough to get moving when your mind is filled with stress or worry. On the other hand, there are some who have been able to re-invigorate their programs while working from home.

There are many reasons to exercise or engage in daily physical activity if you are struggling emotionally. Do you need some peace of mind? Maybe “get out” of your head and into your body for a little while?

We have been cooped up for some time and we continue to be asked to limit where we go on a daily basis. Your “live” social sphere may be limited to just a few people. We feel restricted in more ways than one.

Now may be the time to make some breakthroughs on exercise and mental health and make new connections on what you can gain from daily exercise.

Runner’s high. Zen like states. Release after exertion. Coldness converted into warmth. Contraction followed by relaxation. Stiffness transformed into fluidity. Restriction remolded into freedom. Exercise can address mental health on many levels and from different angles.

Here some of the angles I use exercise to transform my personal state of mental health well being.

Mental centering through exercise

When exercise requires you to focus “inside” it may have a calming effect. Taking the time to focus on our inner health using exercise can provide that daily reset, allowing us to cope better with all of the competing demands for our attention.

On a practical level, start with a walk. During the walk focus on your posture and how your feet connect with the ground. As you change your weight from one foot to the other, notice how the energy is transmitted from the ground and through the foot. Next imagine how that energy is transmitted upward through your lower leg and knee. At what point do you feel the front of your thigh or gluteals contract? Can you breath deeply as you lengthen your spine? This could start out as a walking meditation at first, and once warmed up, could end in a brisker walk. Keep it going once you are home with a few stretches that you are already familiar with, allowing yourself to cool down and release.

A lighter note on reducing the mind’s chatter

When using exercise to quiet your mind and to be present, fewer distractions is likely better. If you are exercising with a friend, finding exercise that is intense enough will make talking at a regular rate or volume difficult. This could be a strategy to get you and your friend out of your heads and into your body.

Endorphins

More vigorous or sustained exercise can also lead to the release of endorphins. This can leave you feeling elevated or energized. This is what I work towards when I need a mental break.

Releasing tension that is held in our body

If we sit all the time in a slouched position, there will certain muscles that are tight and others that may be weak or too long. Both can result in muscular discomfort. Now add in some stress or worry. Are your shoulders up to your ears? Teeth clenched? Scrunching your forehead? See if you can find the areas of tension. You may be able to use this information to guide your exercise process by gently contracting then relaxing these areas. With this awareness you may be able to improve your alignment.

Increasing circulation or “flow”

Exercise promotes the stimulation of not just the circulatory system but an increased flow in all of systems that produce energy and discard waste including digestion, respiration, and the lymphatic systems. This enhanced flow decreases stagnancy and improves the clearance of toxins, literally lightening our load.

Our existence and exercise

From a more existential perspective, exercise involves a commitment to the self. It is an acknowledgement of our mortality and the need to address the physical and mental self in order to maximize its wellness and to enhance our ability to experience life.

Get into the exercise arena everyday. Use that arena as your special place where you can re-energize and be in charge of everything that you do. Remember that intentional physical activity(like taking a brisk walk) is just as important as a structured exercise program. If we use physical exercise to center ourselves on a regular basis, it becomes a habit to break up the doldrums. It can become a dependable landing pad that we use to feel more grounded and free, everyday.

Are you ready?

Let’s go!

Essentrics with Andrea