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Motion Affects Emotion - Part I


We all know exercise is good for our bodies. But did you know physical motion – exercise – affects your emotions and attitudes? If you’re ready to use exercise to manage your emotions, here are five tips to get you started:
Consistent motion. Some exercises – such as walking, swimming, and jogging – involve repetitive action. This consistent movement pattern can lead to a peaceful state of relaxation. Many athletes refer to this experience as a runner’s high – described as a feeling of tranquility and peace during or after exercise.Quick Tip: To relax your mind as you move, consider performing exercises with a repetitive motion. These include walking, jogging, swimming, hiking, cross-country skiing, kayaking, and rowing.
Hit, punch, pull, lift, or kick it out! If you’re struggling with anger or hostility, challenging activities like weightlifting, martial arts, and racquet sports provide a safe outlet. You can also add interval training to your running, biking, or cardio machine workout. To do this, speed up for three minutes, slow down for one minute, and then repeat. While you are sprinting, you can focus on releasing pent-up emotions.Quick Tip: Hitting, punching, or kicking – when performed in a controlled, approved activity – can help you express your emotions in a positive way.
Spice it up! Sometimes a lack of new experiences and goals leads to boredom or even depression. This lack of motivation can produce stress all by itself. Adding exercise or a new activity may be the key to escaping your rut. Quick Tip: Think of fun and exciting ways to challenge yourself. Sign up for a 5K, marathon, or cycling race. Consider trying something new, like karate, boot camp, or scuba diving. Take golf lessons – and then participate in a golf tournament. Signing yourself up for an event could be just the motivation you need to find new meaning in your movement!
Take a breath. Most of the time, we take breathing for granted. But research shows we should take time each day to focus on our breath. In a 2005 review of breathing research, Richard Brown, M.D., and Patricia Gerbarg, M.D., found deep breathing can:
Decrease depression, anxiety, stress, and psychological disorders.
Decrease eating disorders and obesity.
Reduce blood pressure and heart rate.
Relax the nervous system.
Increase circulation and energy. Quick Tip: Perform deep breathing exercises anywhere: at your desk, waiting in line at the store, or when stuck in traffic. To breathe deeply simply inhale through your nose, place your hand on your abdomen and feel it expand, and then exhale completely through the mouth. Continue this process for one to two minutes.
Stretch it. Most of your day is probably spent in one spot – driving your car, sitting at your desk, or watching TV. To loosen up, treat your body to some relaxing stretches. Stretching has many benefits, including increasing muscle flexibility, strengthening tendons and ligaments, improving body posture, increasing blood circulation, and decreasing stress. Before stretching, do an easy 10-minute warm-up, like walking in place. Stretching “cold” muscles can cause damage. Quick Tip: Use stretching to release tension in your back when watching TV or working at your desk. Sit upright at the edge of a sturdy chair with your feet placed firmly on the ground hip-width apart. Cross your arms over your chest. Twist your upper torso, rotating from the waist to one side, allowing your head and shoulders to move together. Rotate as far as you comfortably can. Hold this position for 15 seconds, and then repeat on the other side. If you’d really like to work on flexibility, try a yoga class.
By Sean Foy, M.A.President,

Personal Wellness CorporationAuthor of upcoming:

The 10-Minute Total Body Breakthrough (August 2009 release).