Why is Physical Activity More Important Now?

As adults, we know that exercise is good for us, but as the country goes into hibernation, physical activity will become more important than ever.

As we are told to stay in our homes and only venture out for necessities, many people will be experiencing social isolation and loneliness, which may lead to depression and anxiety. Therefore, looking after our mental and physical health is vital.  

With gyms and training establishments closed, sporting and recreational activities cancelled, it would be all too easy to spend our time sitting on the couch, binging on the latest series on Netflix.

While writing this article, I asked Google ‘the importance of exercise on wellbeing’. Google responded with about 1,220,000,000 articles. This goes to show you just how important it is – but why?

People who exercise regularly, as well as being physically fit, appear to also be emotionally fit. They feel more relaxed and have a more positive outlook on life.

Exercise increases the level of feel-good chemicals like endorphins and serotonin in our brains. These chemicals have a positive effect on our mental health and wellbeing. Exercise also helps with sleep and gives us more energy and focus. That focus is important in staying on task while working or studying at home.

There is also something else to consider. Anita Hobson-Powell, Chief Executive Officer of Exercise & Sports Science Australia explains “While we know the importance of exercise for our mental health, research shows that exercise can also support our immune system.  Some contemporary evidence shows that leading a physically active lifestyle reduces the incidence of communicable (eg, bacterial and viral infections) and non-communicable diseases (eg, cancer), implying that immune competency is enhanced by regular exercise bouts.”

So, try to include some level of exercise into your daily routine.

Here are 10 tips for getting physical during this pandemic

1. Take short breaks often, while working from home. Get up, walk around, make a cuppa, do some stretches.
2. Get up and move around during ad breaks in TV shows.
3. Set up an obstacle course in your backyard for all the family.
4. Do some online exercise classes. There are loads of free classes at the moment.
5. Set a push-up challenge. See how many push-ups you can do, try for more each day.
6. Start dancing. Just turn on some music and move! Get the whole family involved.
7. Head outside and do some physical activity, wash the car, do some gardening, wash the windows.
8. Do some yoga or Pilates at home. Again, there are some free online classes you can do.
9. Go for a walk. At this time, we can still go outside, just make sure to practice physical distancing.
10. If you have to take a phone call, get up and walk around while you do it.