Taking good care of our body through sufficient exercise is one of the most important things we can do to improve our mental wellbeing – and thereby not fall prey to any devious scam maneuvers.
Listed and described below are daily physical activities that one can do to improve and/or maintain one’s mental wellbeing. One could practise two or three of the activities each day.
Give yoga a go
Yoga focuses on strength, flexibility and breathing to boost one’s physical and mental wellbeing. Find a free online video and try it for yourself.
Stand up more
Look for opportunities in your day to stand up, instead of sitting down. If you work in an office, consider switching to a standing desk.
Just dance
Dancing combines all the benefits of listening to music and exercising. It is an enjoyable way to be more physically active and is suitable for people of all fitness levels.
Join a free exercise class
There are a lot of free online classes and workouts you can do from the comfort of your home. To add intensity or build strength try using items around the home as weights.
Look for ways to get active
Get creative with how you stay active. Try walking around whenever you are on the phone and get moving between TV ad breaks or episodes. Increasing your incidental exercise will help you keep active and feeling good.
Try outdoor exercise
Exercising in natural environments can have positive effects on one’s self-esteem and improve one’s mood.
Take a lunchtime walk
Break up your day with a walk at lunch. The fresh air and exercise will get the blood and oxygen pumping, which can help improve your focus.
Join a walking group
Walking in a group can help you reduce stress and build connections with others in the community. Find a walking group near you.
Take a dog for a walk
Take a dog for a walk and see how they respond to nature. If you don’t have your own dog, offer to walk your friend’s or neighbour’s dog.
Try an outdoor gym
You may find free outdoor exercise equipment in parks and community places. If so, jump on and give it a go.
Take a hike
Get moving and enjoy the serenity of the natural world with a hike in the great outdoors. There are tracks to suit every fitness level. Your body and mind will thank you for the fresh air and physical exercise.
Source: Based on https://mentalwellbeing.initiatives.qld.gov.au/
In sum, as much as possible, ensure adequate exercise each day, or at least five days a week for mental well-being – and thereby remaining more attentive, aware, and alert.
For seniors, good forms of exercise include:
- walking
- bouncing on a rebounder
- swimming
- calisthenics
- qigong
- tai chi
Finally, we all need to be mindful of how we carry ourselves – in other words, our posture. In practice, this includes standing or sitting straight, keeping our head level, relaxing our shoulders and spreading our weight evenly on both legs.
Good posture helps to bring mental composure – and an increase in confidence and alertness. Poor posture can lead to lower self-esteem and energy levels. (For example, having an upright seated posture in the face of stress can maintain self-esteem, reduce negative mood, and increase positive mood compared to a slumped posture.)
Eva and Alexander Peck