Blue Monday is just around the corner again: the most depressing day of the year. The weather is glum, you get less daylight than a vampire and your body is struggling to adjust to the withdrawal of joyfully calorific festive food.
Whether you believe the third Monday of January is indeed as depressing as the media tell us every year, or, y’know, don’t – there’s never any harm in taking steps to feel happier, calmer, fitter, stronger and healthier.
Without a doubt, the best way to beat the Blue Monday bug is with exercise. Don’t be tempted to shove your exercise gear to the back of your drawer and hibernate – staying active can help lift your spirits in all kinds of ways.
Benefits of exercise on Blue Monday
- Energy booster. Struggle to peel yourself out of bed on those cold, miserable mornings? Regular workouts will make you feel more energetic, making it easier to skip the snooze button at 7am.
- Fewer coughs and colds. Atishoo! There’s always “something going around” at this time of the year. Make sure your defences are up – research suggests that moderate exercise can strengthen your immune system, causing changes in antibodies and white blood cells and helping to flush bacteria out of the lungs and airways.
- Mental wellness. What you do with your body can have a powerful effect on your mind. Exercise is nature’s antidepressant – it floods our brain with chemical changes which can lift our spirits significantly.
- Confident you. Some scientists believe that working out can make us feel better mentally because it delivers a greater sense of self-esteem. We all know how good it feels to complete a workout, especially if you stick to that routine regularly.
- It’s nature’s way. Primal men and women had to hunt and forage for food, leap over dangerous landscapes and sprint away from sabertooth tigers. That freedom of movement is completely natural to us, but often the most we practice it is running for the bus or lifting shopping bags. Moving the way our bodies were designed to reconnect us to our minds, alleviating low mood and other modern afflictions associated with a sedentary lifestyle.
- Unleash your inner child. When was the last time you did a headstand, climbed a tree, or swung on monkey bars at the park? At EVO, purposeful and playful movements are at the core of our training. Our state-of-the-art playground – complete with bespoke octagon functional frame, Swedish ladders and gymnastic rings – will help you reach new heights with your fitness.
- The great outdoors. If we remove ourselves from our natural environment, we suffer from dysfunction. When we return, we begin to heal. Spending time in green spaces this Blue Monday – whether you’re walking, running or cycling – can have profound effects on your mood.
We’re only as fit as our ability to adapt and respond to the environment. When Blue Monday rears its ugly head, or physical and mental stress at any time of the year, taking small steps to make life more enjoyable is the best way to beat it. If you’d like a helping hand from a friendly, experienced and motivating personal trainer, book a free trial and meet our team.
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