Now that Summer is over, many of us plan to spend as much time as possible sitting on the couch under a warm blanket. During the summer months, many of us are active in many ways that we don’t consider “exercise”. A summer walk with the family doesn’t seem like hard work, and swimming in the ocean was creating memories, not muscles. But as the bike rides and nature hikes of summer are replaced with hot chocolates and fires of Winter, we lose much of this important physical activity.
Though I’m not advocating for outdoor activities in the minus twenty weather, maintaining your physical activity throughout the winter can do wonders for your health.
We know that regular physical activity, can help maintain a healthy weight and can improve your “Healthy Cholesterol” levels. But did you know that it can also improve your mood and your energy levels? Exercise can release chemicals in the brain which trigger relaxation. At the same time exercise improves the function of your heart and lungs, giving you more energy to complete your daily tasks.
Exercise doesn’t even really have to be “exercise” in the way we think of it. Playing a game of tag around the house, or even taking the stairs instead of the elevator can be important ways to improve your daily physical activity!
The important thing to remember is- just get moving!
