Now that Thanksgiving has passed, we approach the colder and darker days of December which often challenges many to stay physically active during winter.
December also brings us the holidays of Christmas and New Year’s right around the corner!
With all these festive days approaching, time spent with family and friends increases and that means ideas for activities are necessary.
And speaking of light displays, Orange County and Southern California offers one of the best holiday light displays in the nation.
Orange County has our own Winter Fest OC in Costa Mesa Nov. 24-Jan. 7th
Newport Beach Boat Parade at Balboa Island
Holiday ice skating scenery watch such as the one in our very own Huntington Beach: Surf City Winter Wonderland
And the largest holiday and fantasyland light show in America is right here in our backyard, Pomona, CA, called the Imaginarium Fairplex.
Exercise is good for you; it’s just a matter of making it a priority and habit in your daily life.
In the aging population for instance, exercise has been shown to prevent disease, lower the risk of falls, improve mental health and well-being, strengthen social ties, and improve cognitive function.
Lack of exercise may trigger increased body fat levels, increased blood pressure, increased susceptibility to mood disorders, such as anxiety and depression, increased risk of various diseases including cardiovascular disease and stroke.
Five common barriers to overcome: Discomfort and pain.
One-half of older adults is not active due to discomfort and pain.
Back pain, sore knees, heart conditions, and lung disorder can be barriers to exercise and limit motivation.
Regular exercise can help slow the body’s aging process according to research.
Exercise can boost your mood, concentration and alertness.
It can even help give you a positive outlook on life.
The link between exercise and mental health is complicated.
Inactivity can be both a cause and a consequence of mental illness, for example.
How does exercise help depression and anxiety?
Regular exercise may help ease depression and anxiety by: Releasing feel-good endorphins, natural cannabis-like brain chemicals (endogenous cannabinoids) and other natural brain chemicals that can enhance your sense of well-being.
Exercise allows the body to release hormones called endorphins.
Endorphins are neurotransmitters released by the pituitary gland and hypothalamus in the brain.
Once released, endorphins interact with the receptors in the brain that reduce your perception of pain.
Endorphins also trigger a positive feeling in the body, similar to that of morphine.
It can take between 10 to 60 minutes before exercise starts to improve mood through the release of endorphins.
Research has shown that aerobic exercises, such as jogging or an exercise class, have been found to bring benefits to mood within this period of 60 minutes or less.
Aerobic exercise and weight training. Both types of exercise increase your heart rate and release feel-good endorphins in the brain.
Try doing a combination of both, such as a Zumba class followed by a short session lifting light weights.
Running for 15 minutes a day or walking for an hour reduces the risk of major depression, according to a recent Harvard study.
The benefits of exercise is inevitable: stronger muscles, more energy, weight management, better sleep.
Endorphins resulting from exercise can also reduce stress, reduce risk of heart disease, depression, and put a smile on your face.
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