Exercise Is Always (part of) the Answer
As we approach the end of a calendar year, many of us are downshifting into an off-work-and-school holiday mindset.
Downshifting is good: If we can slow down a bit, enjoy yummy holiday meals with close friends and family, and fit in a coveted nap or two, we activate our parasympathetic nervous systems. This is the system that is the opposite of “fight-or-flight.” It puts the brakes on the stress response. Commonly referred to as the “rest and digest” system, activating the parasympathetic nervous system slows our heart and respiration rates, lowers our blood pressure, and relaxes us.
As I write this, it all sounds so lovely and needed, and I’m looking forward to it. But why am I talking about the benefits of napping and eating if this blog is about exercise?!
Welp, as humans tend to do, we pendulum from one extreme to another. What comes after this lovely holiday break full of goodies and relaxation?
A New Year. Whomp whomp…
Americans love making resolutions for the new year, and I think that tradition is mostly well-intentioned. I also think humans can set extraordinarily high expectations for themselves, subsequently berating themselves when those sky-high expectations aren’t met. Sound familiar?
Since exercise tops the list of most people’s New Year’s Resolutions, let’s talk about it. Exercise comes up as a recommendation in medical research All. The. Time.
The benefits of exercise for a laundry list of diseases, including both physical and mental, are huge. Therefore, exercise is always (at least part of) the answer in treating disease, be it arthritis, asthma, anxiety, diabetes, cancer (!!), osteoporosis, back pain, or scoliosis (I just had to).
I can only think of one disorder for which exercise was not recommended for years, and thankfully, that hypothesis has been debunked. The diagnosis in question is eating disorders. For years, mental health professionals treating anorexia and bulimia believed exercise could harm their patients, as they may be inclined to abuse exercise, using it as a means to fuel their desire to lose weight.
In the past decade, the belief system has shifted: most disordered eating recovery programs promote mindful exercise and work to establish a healthy relationship with exercise. If you’re reading this and struggling with disordered eating and need help, please reach out to the National Alliance for Eating Disorders Helpline: 1 (866) 662-1235.
We, as physical therapists, consider ourselves the exercise specialists.
A large part of our job is to make exercise accessible for each and every patient that comes through our doors, no matter their diagnosis. Everyone can and should exercise; it will just look different depending on each patient’s unique needs.
Have knee arthritis? Start by strengthening the quadriceps.
Have postural neck pain and headaches? Stretch your pectorals daily, and strengthen your upper back and shoulder blade muscles every other day.
Have cardiovascular disease? Begin a regular walking program under the guidance of your doctor or cardiovascular physical therapist.
Anxiety? Try a slow-flow yoga class, a breathing class, or Tai Chi.
Scoliosis? You guys know the answer to this one….Schroth, please!
My point is that it doesn't have to be super complicated when it comes to medical conditions and exercise. We live in a modern industrialized society where sitting indoors for 8+ hours per day has become the norm (would our ancestors be confused by our indoor sedentary lifestyles? 100%).
If you look back in history, even just 100 years ago, things like fresh air, sunshine, and exercise were commonly accepted as treatments for many diseases. Doctors would recommend them. This is not at all to say I don’t believe in modern medicine or that I’m not grateful for the many advancements made in the medical field in the last 100 years (I am!).
I’m just advocating for keeping those natural treatments alongside our modern treatments. I want the best of both worlds.
So, as we look ahead to next year, envisioning our healthier 2024 selves, let’s try our best to set realistic goals for ourselves regarding exercise. Better yet, let’s set highly personalized goals for ourselves…
Just because my friend Vanessa has a rockin’ hot bod from hitting Barry’s Boot Camp classes several times per week doesn’t mean that should be my goal (I’m only 4 months postpartum!) And more importantly, I don’t like boot camp classes. I feel the best when I’m doing low-impact exercise, such as walking and hiking outdoors and doing a combination of physical therapy, yoga, and Pilates for strengthening.
This last part is important: what do you feel connected to in regard to exercise? If you asked me that question when I was 15, I would have looked at you like a deer in the headlights. I had no idea. It took me years to discover that exercise was so much more tolerable, even enjoyable if I felt a connection to it.
What I wish for all of you is to find that connection. Exercise should fit into our lives comfortably. It shouldn’t be a battle.
So here’s the plan: let’s downshift and thoroughly enjoy these last few weeks of the year. In January, we’ll begin a new calendar with a fresh outlook. We’ll set some loose goals for ourselves regarding exercise. When, at some point in January, we snooze through our alarm rather than get up to do that workout, we’ll quickly forgive ourselves and move on with our day.
Wishing you all a peaceful holiday season, and I can’t wait to exercise with you in 2024.