The benefits of getting regular exercise are many and varied, with physical health often made the focus… and with excellent reason, of course. We need to move our bodies and train them in certain ways if we’re to continue to be strong and flexible as we age, which can help protect us against different diseases and slips, trips and falls in later life.
But what about the mental health aspects of getting more exercise, which are just as important as the physical health factors?
One amazing benefit of getting more exercise is that it can help you with stress management, helping you to feel more energised, more positive and happier because you flood your body with endorphins.
Training is also a very mindful activity and, because you’re focusing so much on what you’re doing, you allow yourself to forget about your worries and concerns in life.
If you are finding that stress is starting to overwhelm you, you might want to consider trying a somatic training session out to see if this helps you manage your emotions more effectively. Somatic workouts are slower and more mindful than other forms of exercise, with the aim being to really tune into your body and how it’s feeling as you move.
Activities like yoga and tai chi can help you build that mind-body connection, but you can also practice somatic training in smaller ways, as well, including while you walk or even doing stretching exercises at home.
It’s something that can be done at any time and anywhere, as long as you focus on how your movements feel in your body, rather than on other goals like building strength, flexibility or muscle.
As well as helping you with stress management, you may find that somatic training can also help with chronic pain and insomnia, so if you’re struggling in these regards, it could certainly be worth trying.
