You're right, the headline is a very strange one! Taking regular exercise helps to keep us healthy and usually, there are many more advantages with exercising than disadvantages. But if you suffer from a stressful or a depressive illness, exercise can actually make you feel worse. How can this happen?
Here's something I bet you've heard many times: stressful illnesses can be relieved by taking regular exercise. This isn't quite correct. Because there are several kinds of exercises that merely make these problems worse. If sufferers perform the kinds of exercise that do help with stressful illnesses, any benefits gained will only last for a short period.
Taking brisk exercise for around 20 minutes causes the brain to release endorphins into the system, giving rise to the belief that exercise can be helpful in conquering stress, depression and anxiety. Endorphins function as neurotransmitters and are associated with happy and positive feelings.
If you're caught up in an episode of stress, anxiety or depression, you'll be aware that even if you exercise often, the torment doesn't end. Addressing the root cause of stressful illnesses - flawed thought modes - remains the only way to cure them. Your physical health will benefit greatly from exercise, but it just doesn't tackle the root cause of stressful illnesses.
Back in the year 2000 when I was suffering badly with anxiety and depression, I was exercising regularly. For 2 days, I'd perform weight-training exercises. Lifting weights is a kind of exercise that may fuel stressful illnesses as you are able to brood about the events and issues currently troubling you. Bike machines and treadmills I'd use to warm-up and warm-down. It's pretty easy to exercise on such equipment so the sufferer again can ruminate over their problems.
Circuit-training classes was another exercise I'd do often. The exercises were performed at quite a high pace with an instructor leading the session and because of the intensity, you just cannot brood over your problems. However, after the session, I again started performing the harmful ways of thinking at the root cause of stress and its related illnesses, and that is the problem here.
It didn't matter that I took regular exercise, it did not prevent me from thinking in a flawed manner.
When you exercise, pay attention to everything you're doing. If you don't have to concentrate when you're exercising, you can begin to brood on your problems. Using cross-trainers, steppers, treadmills and going for a jog are good examples. Far better is to perform exercises that are high-tempo and where you have to concentrate. I got the most benefit from circuit-training, but soccer and badminton were also good.
The idea is to give yourself a period of time where you're not thinking about your problems and worries. And of course, you'll do your body a whole heap of good too!
What is important is to be aware that exercising will only help you temporarily. Addressing the hurtful ways of thinking is the only way to find lasting relief from stressful illnesses. Also, exactly as your physical health benefits from exercise, your mental health will improve significantly by acquiring the skills that break you out of flawed thinking modes.
Here's a quote that hits the nail right on the head:
"Thought can make you; thought can break you." - Swami Sukhabodhanada
Here's something I bet you've heard many times: stressful illnesses can be relieved by taking regular exercise. This isn't quite correct. Because there are several kinds of exercises that merely make these problems worse. If sufferers perform the kinds of exercise that do help with stressful illnesses, any benefits gained will only last for a short period.
Taking brisk exercise for around 20 minutes causes the brain to release endorphins into the system, giving rise to the belief that exercise can be helpful in conquering stress, depression and anxiety. Endorphins function as neurotransmitters and are associated with happy and positive feelings.
If you're caught up in an episode of stress, anxiety or depression, you'll be aware that even if you exercise often, the torment doesn't end. Addressing the root cause of stressful illnesses - flawed thought modes - remains the only way to cure them. Your physical health will benefit greatly from exercise, but it just doesn't tackle the root cause of stressful illnesses.
Back in the year 2000 when I was suffering badly with anxiety and depression, I was exercising regularly. For 2 days, I'd perform weight-training exercises. Lifting weights is a kind of exercise that may fuel stressful illnesses as you are able to brood about the events and issues currently troubling you. Bike machines and treadmills I'd use to warm-up and warm-down. It's pretty easy to exercise on such equipment so the sufferer again can ruminate over their problems.
Circuit-training classes was another exercise I'd do often. The exercises were performed at quite a high pace with an instructor leading the session and because of the intensity, you just cannot brood over your problems. However, after the session, I again started performing the harmful ways of thinking at the root cause of stress and its related illnesses, and that is the problem here.
It didn't matter that I took regular exercise, it did not prevent me from thinking in a flawed manner.
When you exercise, pay attention to everything you're doing. If you don't have to concentrate when you're exercising, you can begin to brood on your problems. Using cross-trainers, steppers, treadmills and going for a jog are good examples. Far better is to perform exercises that are high-tempo and where you have to concentrate. I got the most benefit from circuit-training, but soccer and badminton were also good.
The idea is to give yourself a period of time where you're not thinking about your problems and worries. And of course, you'll do your body a whole heap of good too!
What is important is to be aware that exercising will only help you temporarily. Addressing the hurtful ways of thinking is the only way to find lasting relief from stressful illnesses. Also, exactly as your physical health benefits from exercise, your mental health will improve significantly by acquiring the skills that break you out of flawed thinking modes.
Here's a quote that hits the nail right on the head:
"Thought can make you; thought can break you." - Swami Sukhabodhanada
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