When the pandemic first started, I thought that people working from home was the one bright spot in all the darkness.
It was a scary time. Everything was changing so quickly, people couldn’t leave their homes, and we knew so little about the future.
But in the middle of all that, businesses started sending people home to work, if they could. And I thought so many people would discover the freedom of organizing their own schedule and living on their own terms.
I saw it as a chance for people to walk toward their goals. It seemed like the one potential comfort in the chaos.
And sure, many people did improve their lives while in quarantine… but many of my clients were not seeing that improvement.
In fact, many of the people I had been coaching seemed irritable. They were tired, unfocused, unable to concentrate, and very upset.
Of course as I said, the start of the pandemic was frightening for everyone. Staying at home meant mood-killing isolation. But I felt it went deeper than that.
I started probing a little deeper. I asked my clients to check their vitamin levels, and many had very low vitamin D.
An alarming trend! I pressed further and I began asking questions about their daily routines.
My most tired, frustrated clients were those who never even went outside of their homes. They were missing the benefits of being outside and moving around and instead spending most of their time in front of the TV if they were not working.
Their sedentary habits had left them with reduced blood flow, which means less oxygen, worse sleep, falling ability to pay attention, and more toxins in the body.
No wonder everyone was so miserable!
Once I learned this, it became so clear why people were suffering. Physical activity in the fresh air is almost as important to our vitality as sleep is, and so is the vitamin D we get when we move around outside.
But the longer we go with poor sleep habits, the more we feel a need to sleep (the more tired we get). If we are already tired, moody, and foggy-headed, it seems counterintuitive to exert more energy, so movement might not be the first solution we think of.
However, research shows that with as little as 30 minutes of daily walking we can help ourselves by:
- Encouraging the brain to release endorphins, neurotransmitters that refresh and renew us
- Decreasing our sensitivity to stress and pain and inviting feelings of euphoria
- Enhancing our physical fitness, mobility, and acuity, giving us better reaction time
- Reducing our risk of neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease
- Improving the flow of oxygen to our brains, resulting in better cognitive function, better memory, and an increase in overall health
Sound like something you want?
Well then, I have a challenge for you: I call it 30-30. See if you can get 30 minutes of walking in for the next 30 days. Set a time with yourself and then keep it like it’s a doctor’s appointment – because it’s that good for your health!
Listen to a podcast, enjoy some music, or just take in the beauty of nature. If your part of the world is buried under snow right now, try a 30-minute walk at your local fitness center, or just bundle up and go for a relaxed walk in the winter wonderland.
The more days you walk, pay attention to the changes in your body and mind. As the 30 days go by, I promise you will see it was time well spent. Your brain will thank you!
Make today your masterpiece!
Florina
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