All pieces of the puzzle

In my last post, I spoke about the trifecta of psychiatrist, therapist and medication being the foundation of my mental health. To be mentally healthy and feel good, other aspects of life have to be aligned in addition to the trifecta. What are these other aspects? They include but are not limited to relationships, work, family, weather, routine, basically parts of your life that are important to you or affect you. We don’t always have control over these aspects but what we can do is to try to lead a healthy lifestyle that is beneficial to our mind and body and helps keep the stress to a minimum. Like everything else, this requires effort and dedication.

It is not always easy to be motivated to exercise, especially if I’m going through a low period. Unfortunately, the only way to tackle this is to force myself to get out and exercise no matter how I am feeling. My therapist gave me a good strategy, pre-covid. He told me to not sit down when I reached home from work, but to immediately change into my exercise gear and leave the house. It worked marvelously. I modified this strategy for covid by assigning time slots for working out during the day. I find that allotting a specific time for exercising works best so I know, for example, when the clock strikes 5, it’s time to get out.

Exercising and neurotransmitters

I have noticed a distinct difference in how I feel physically and mentally when I am eating right and exercising regularly. Many studies have shown that exercising has a positive effect on the mind. You may have heard of the famous “runners high”. So what is the connection between exercising and the mind? 

Several studies point toward the relationship between exercise and feeling good. Exercising causes the release of chemicals called neurotransmitters in the body. Some of these neurotransmitters are dopamine (the “feel-good” hormone) and serotonin (the hormone that regulates emotional balance) among others. The release of these hormones not only causes feelings of pleasure and positivity, but also reduces levels of stress hormones such as cortisol.

From what I have read, there is an ongoing debate about the relationship between exercising and a group of chemicals called endorphins. Earlier researchers showed that exercising releases endorphins, the natural painkillers, into the bloodstream. In popular belief, this chemical supposedly gives one a “runner’s high” while or after exercising. However, this is not backed by adequate research.

Interestingly, newer research points at a different neurotransmitter called anandamide for causing post-exercise euphoria. Anandamide is aptly named using the Sanskrit word ‘ananda’ which means joy. Exercising increases anandamide in the body, which enters the brain and triggers dopamine production. 

It is useful to note that different types and intensities of exercise cause varied effects on the mind and body. While cardio helps in feeling positive, yoga helps in feeling calm, walking helps in strengthening memory, etc. In my own experience, my heart rate needs to be high enough for about 30 minutes for me to feel a positive difference post-exercise. Ideal heart rate depends on your weight and age. You can calculate your heart rate range by using this method.

Choose your fix

Over the years, I experimented with different kinds of exercise. I don’t think there is any one kind of exercise that works for everyone. According to me, it is most important to enjoy the exercise otherwise it can be challenging to feel motivated. Your preferred exercise may also change over the years. For example, I worked out at the gym for many years and I used to enjoy it. I liked the loud music, the machines and the pumped up people. As I grew older, I noticed a change in myself. I started craving for quiet and I just couldn’t handle the continuous loud music and frantic activity of a gym. 

Cardio

I realised that I prefer exercise that doesn’t get me wired up but rather makes me feel calm and collected. That’s how I discovered running. I started running in a park close to home. Trees, plants and sounds of birds helped me feel peaceful and centred. It took a while to find my running rhythm but once I did, I started experiencing that euphoria. Many people listen to music I when running but I like to focus on my breath or chant the Buddhist mantra “om mani padme hum” in my mind. I have found that it helps to focus on something while exercising. It could be your breath, your posture, surroundings, or music you’re listening to… yours to choose.  

Covid and/or severe weather may make it difficult to step out. There are plenty of youtube videos and channels on cardio workouts or yoga too. You can choose from anything between a ten minute intense workout to a one hour full body workout.

Yoga

Yoga actually refers to spiritual, physical and mental practice. What is popular today is ‘yogasana’, which is only a part of the entire practice. ‘Asana’ meaning exercise, which refers to the poses one does during a yoga session.  Practicing yoga doesn’t give me a high but helps me regulate my emotions. It helps to focus, calm the mind and thus reduce anxiety or stress.

Pranayama, the practice of control of breath, forms an important part of yoga. You can find videos of different pranayama practices online. Two of the tenets of yoga are stability and steadiness. I love doing yoga because it is difficult to successfully practice the poses without completely focusing your mind and breath on them. It is a great way to be in the present moment. I always feel restored and refreshed after a yoga session. If I don’t feel like doing a whole one hour session, I do a few suryanamaskars and that helps too.

There are days when my mind or body or just don’t feel like doing any exercise. Some days, I listen to them and go easy on myself. Other days, I kick myself out of the house and just go for a walk if I don’t feel like running. Initially, I would feel guilty about not exercising, but now I tell myself that’s ok. Some days I need to indulge in some TLC.

My suggestion is testing out different exercises and seeing how you feel after each. Then you can choose the ones that work best. Take a look at this article for some info and suggestions. I hope you find your fix. Om shanti!