By MARY BETH MAASSEN
Los Alamos
My daughter was five years old and my son was three.
They were playing on the floor, happily rolling their Hot Wheels across the tile. “Uh-oh,” my son said suddenly. “My car broke. It had a nervous breakdown!”
My heart sank into my stomach and I realized I had screwed up my kids for life.
It was easy to understand why he was confused. When my children were young both the car and their mother broke down on a regular basis. As they got older the cars became more reliable. I, however, continued to have challenging episodes.
My mental health and well-being finally started to improve when I began to exercise regularly. I became a runner.
Really, it was mostly fast walking, but if I swung my arms just right it felt a lot like running. I was Queen-of-the-Ten-Minute-Mile. It was an easy crown to hold on to because nobody else wanted it, but it fit me just fine.
While I didn’t break any speed records it was fast enough to shift my mood. That was when I realized that working out wasn’t about being athletic or losing weight, it was about taking care of my body and mind.
Thousands of research studies show a correlation between exercise and depression. Result after result demonstrates there are improvements in mood with even small amount of physical activity. During exercise the brain releases endorphins, adrenaline, serotonin, and dopamine.
These chemicals work together to make you feel good. Simply walking outside for ten minutes a day will get these naturally-occurring chemicals coursing through your body and brain. A little bit of exercise contributes to overall fitness, increasing your energy level, and helping you sleep better at night.
As I began to feel better I was able to cope with the daily challenges that would pop-up to surprise me. A broken-down car no longer derailed me into in nervous breakdown. Getting a handle on one aspect of my life allowed me to grasp all challenges with firmer, more confident grip.
As with all things in my busy, demanding life there is ebb and flow. I struggle with keeping exercise as an essential part of my daily activity, even though I know the huge difference it can make. Moving my body will move my mind, so this week I am going to move just a little more.
