Day 4: Ice Skates

Get moving!

Photo by freestocks on Unsplash

Nothing helps the winter blues like exercise. Even if ice skating isn’t your thing, find something that will get you moving indoors or outdoors. Just dancing around the house works up a sweat and lifts the mood.

There is evidence that exercise improves mental health by altering the brain (particularly through neurogenesis in the hippocampus). This can aid with depression, anxiety, memory, and cognition, especially if we try to move every day. It’s good to aim for 150 min/week, but ANY movement is better than no movement. Once you get started, exercise increases the reward receptors in your brain, so even if it’s hard right now, it’ll get easier over time. You may even crave it!

Remember to listen to your body and start slow if you haven’t exercised in a while. Don’t push yourself too hard, as this can lead to injury and burnout. What can help is to find something you enjoy doing and make it a part of your routine. Exercise doesn’t have to be a chore; it can be fun and rewarding.

So, grab your running shoes, yoga mat, or whatever equipment you need and get moving. Your body and mind will thank you for it.

Here’s a movement planning sheet that might help…