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However, physical activity has been shown to produce positive impacts in most of these disorders.³Īlthough COVID-19 has forced strict measures to restrict the virus from spreading, you can still fulfill physical activity safely in your neighbourhood, and from home. This can not only limit activity but also have long-term psychological effects.ĭepression, post-traumatic stress, acute stress disorder, exhaustion, detachment from others, anxiety, emotional exhaustion, and irritability are among other trauma-related mental health disorders that have affected people in quarantine. Isolation and province-wide restrictions have been a factor in limiting Canadian’s physical and social interactions.
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You don’t have to put your body into extreme modes of physical activity to feel a difference. Reaping the mental health benefits of physical activity is easier than you think. Increased resiliency: Using physical activity as a stress-reliever can help build resilience and cope with challenges in a healthy way instead of resorting to damaging behaviours.Increased levels of happiness and self-love: Regular activity is an investment in your mind, body, and even your soul.Lowered levels of sleep deprivation: Exercise at any point in the day can promote and regular sleeping patterns.Getting into a full-body activity can reroute your brain from diving into negative streams of thought. Lowered levels of trauma: Similar to anxiety, focusing your entire movement and mindset on an aerobic activity such as swimming or hiking can relieve your nervous system of going into panic mode.Adding the mindfulness component is not only anti-anxiety inducing but therapeutic. Any amount of activity is enough to settle the mind of racing thoughts and give you a different perspective. Lowered levels of anxiety: Purely focusing on body movement can break the anxiety cycle.By putting your body into an active mode, you will be able to actually feel the tension slowly fading away from your muscles, as well as the mind. Lowered levels of stress: Along with the endorphins being pumped out from the brain, movement can relieve symptoms of physical pain including tense and strained muscles.They are released into the body to relieve stress and pain. This good feeling is courtesy of natural chemicals called endorphins. Lowered levels of depression: Continuously being active can cause new activity patterns in the brain to promote feelings of well-being.
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