Movement and Relaxation - The Benefits of Including Both into your Daily Activities

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Movement and Relaxation

When we move our body our energy starts to flow. Movement improves circulation, activates our happy hormones, we become more functional, we lubricate our joints, we help our mental clarity and we just feel better. 

When we relax our heart rate slows down, we feel calmer, we reduce our stress levels, relieve tension and lower our blood pressure.

We need both movement and relaxation each and every day to bring a balance into our life.

Movement



Movement is medicine and keeping mobile and active will help to prevent illness and disease. This does not involve gym memberships or high intensity workouts but a commitment to moving your body daily and staying active. This can be a simple plan such as stretching your body every hour inviting flexibility and mobility into your muscles or committing to 30 minutes of yoga or a stretch sequence every morning. Perhaps you enjoy group exercise sessions or maybe you prefer water activities such as swimming or aqua aerobics. 

The best way to keep active and stay committed is to find something you enjoy. Forcing yourself to exercise by devoting your time to an activity that brings no pleasure or gratification to your daily life will not work for anyone. You will not find the motivation or consistency to reap any benefits for your body or your mind.

There are many forms of movement you can integrate into your day to day life that can feel like a routine rather than setting aside time to workout. Try 'movement snacks' short bursts of movement in small spaces of time, anywhere between 30 seconds to 10 minutes. 'Movement snacks' keep you active, keep you flexible and keep you mobile whilst reducing muscle tightness, stiff joints and increasing energy levels.

  • If you sit for a long time during your day, then take a mobility break every hour. Twisting your torso, rolling your shoulders, moving your head from side to side, circling your arms, calf raises, one leg balance, wall squats or wall push ups. These small and intentional movements reap a ton of benefits.
  • Sit to Stand - just 30 seconds a day will increase lower body strength and improve cardio health.
  • Take the stairs at all times. If you cannot manage too many steps or find stair climbing difficult, take it slowly or take half the incline with the stairs and half on the elevator or lift. With daily practice your fitness levels will increase and your leg muscles will strengthen.
  • Arrange to meet your friends for a walk before coffee or lunch. Make your socialising active and enjoy walking in nature or find new places to meet in areas with walking trails or a promenade to encourage activity.
  • Most of our phones have an activity app or pedometer that we can use to measure our activity. You can also buy a simple pedometer that you can clip to your belt or waistband that will count your daily steps. You can record your steps each day and try to improve the count as and when you feel your fitness levels have improved. If you visit a local shop on a regular basis, you could find different routes for each visit to see how many extra steps you can take to arrive at the same destination.
  • Perhaps you have never exercised before and would like to join a class. You can look locally for classes that encourage beginners. Many new exercisers are discouraged by lack of experience or fear of being the weakest or most unfit member of the class. Gentle exercise classes such as beginner-friendly Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi and Active Stretching groups will build confidence as well as improving mobility, flexibility and general movement.

Relaxation



Having covered the importance of movement, we need to now look at relaxation. 

Movement and exercise is something that everyone thinks about when they feel unfit, have low energy or need to lose weight. But relaxation is an essential component in helping to improve all of the above. Relaxation combats stress (a major component of low energy), lack of motivation and fatigue. So it makes sense to increase daily movement and combine this with relaxation techniques to bring wellness into our lives.

There are many other improvements that can be made if we introduce relaxation methods into our daily life, for example:
  • reduces blood pressure
  • relieves tension
  • aids digestion
  • enhances mental clarity
  • regulates sleep patterns
  • boosts the immune system
  • lowers stress levels
  • enhances mood
  • reduces the signs of depression and anxiety
  • promotes creativity and self awareness
  • improves focus, concentration and memory.

Practising mindfulness can bring relaxation to a tense and stressful body and chaotic brain. Mindfulness teaches the art of focusing on the present moment and quietening the mind. You can practice mindfulness at any time of the day and anywhere you may be. Mindfulness is not meditation, it is the practice of focusing on the 'here and now' and taking your mind away from the distractions of future events or past troubles. This is a daily practice and as with everything we do, the more we practice the easier it becomes. Try practising mindfulness when you are stuck at traffic lights or in a queue at the supermarket, by concentrating on what is happening around you. For example look, listen and smell by opening up all the senses and completely focusing. Just stop, pause and take a moment .


Relaxation can be a very simple activity. Focusing on the breath will slow the mind down and bring relaxation to the body. Focusing on the breath reduces stress and anxiety by slowing down your breathing and heart rate. This in turn will reduce blood pressure and bring the feeling peace and calm to your being. There are many breathing meditation methods that can help you focus. Try this Breathing Meditation by Dr Itai Ivtzan

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