It’s something that we’ve all heard before; being active is great for your health.  In fact, when it comes to soothing your body, mind, and spirit, you can’t beat getting active.

Exercise doesn’t just have physical benefits — when life starts to get intense, exercise can be just the thing you need to de-stress. Exercise has been found to help fight depression and anxiety, and help with maintaining a positive mental state and attitude more broadly. It can also make you more alert and able to concentrate, therefore increasing your productivity when you get back to the desk. 

As they say, happy body, happy mind! 

In case you need more convincing, here’s a list of the physical and mental benefits (once you’ve read this you’ll have your sweat towel packed and ready to go):

• Reduce stress
• Boost your happy chemicals
• Improve your confidence
• Discover new skills and places
• Sharpen your memory
• Boost brain power
• Clear your thoughts
• Detox and improve your skin
• Strengthen your bones
• Meet like-minded people
• Sleep more soundly

… and the list goes on.

Learn more about how exercise impacts your brain in this video!

How it works

When you’re stressed from work, study, or life in general, your body releases chemicals like adrenaline to keep you alert. But because you’re not actively using these chemicals, they build up and make you feel more stressed.

Physical exercise acts as a stress reliever as it allows you to release the energy and excess chemicals that are sitting in your body, waiting to be used. When you exercise, your body also releases hormones called endorphins that make you feel good (they’re released when you eat chocolate too!)

So how much exercise and how often?

Any movement is better than no movement. If you’re just starting out, don’t be too hard on yourself. Set small goals and build on them each week. It can be as simple as walking to your local cafe and back. Start small and work your way up.

Ideally, you should build up to doing 30 minutes of daily intentional exercise.  Where you can, fit in some incidental exercise: This is the kind of exercise you perform during the day as part of everyday life. For instance, try taking the stairs instead of the lift or riding your bike instead of taking the bus. 

Other ways to fit in more exercise are doing sit-ups during TV ad breaks, or instead of meeting friends and going out for a hot chocolate on the weekend, you could meet for a walk around your local park. The internet also has heaps of free exercise classes, like this one, so you can do a full class without leaving your bedroom if you want! 

You could do a home workout in your study breaks, boosting your mental energy and attention with a quick 15-minute circuit or yoga session. 

Finding the right type of exercise for you 

The most important thing when it comes to exercise is finding the kind that you ENJOY! Yep, believe it or not, getting physical can be fun and you won’t regret it.

Some people enjoy going on long, solitary walks and listening to podcasts, while others prefer playing team sports with their friends. Don’t be afraid to try out a range of things to see what sticks, and remember that there’s not right or wrong! 

You don’t have to just do one form of exercise either — variety is the spice of life, and you’ll find that being active is easier and more enjoyable when you mix it up.  Do an activity that suits you and try to do a combination of aerobic, strength and flexibility exercises each week.

Here’s some great ideas to get you started: walking the dog, rock climbing, dancing, swimming, skipping, skating, hula hooping, team sports, pilates, yoga in the park, and running…

Tips for incorporating exercise into your regime:

We’re not saying you have to go for a 10km run next time you’re worried about a test (although if that works, more power to you!) It’s as simple as taking just ten minutes away from your desk to clear your mind. Try some of the following:

Yoga

Try practising yoga for some deep breathing and stretching, and to look after your body and mind. There are plenty of great YouTube videos out there to guide you through it all, like this 10-minute sequence. Even a quick session can make a huge difference to your day!

Walking 

Chuck on your runners and walk out the door. Even just a short walk can be enough to make you feel better and increase concentration. 

Getting ‘puffed’

Studies show that anything that gets your heart rate up will work. This could be walking, running, swimming, cycling, boxing, pilates – your choice, anything that fits into your lifestyle.

Breathing

While not exactly exercise, breathing can be a surprisingly easy way to make yourself feel better when life is catching up to you. When you’re stressed, your body can subconsciously make you breathe shallow breaths from the chest, which keeps you feeling tense. Take ten minutes to sit in a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed and just breathe slowly and deeply. You will feel much more relaxed and be able to function better when you’re back at work. Better Health has some tips for how to do this effectively.

Consult your doctor! 

If you have any concerns with starting an exercise regime or any health issues that you think may have an impact, have a chat with your doctor about the best exercise for you. If you have a health concern, like asthma or bad knees for example, talk to a health professional who can help you find activities you can manage.