Movement

Move Your Own Way

Moving your body every day can improve your physical, mental, and emotional health.

The Many Benefits of Moving

While all of our bodies move differently and we all have different interests, we all have one thing in common: movement is good for us. From doing chores around the house to training for a marathon and everything in between, there are so many different ways to get the benefits of movement.

Regularly moving your body can support your immune system, focus and concentration, energy, digestion, and sleep. Movement can even improve symptoms of anxiety and depression, relieve stress, and boost your mood.

Movement and the Mind-Body Connection

The mind-body connection is a two-way street. When something is good for your body, it's good for your mind, and vice versa. Movement plays a big role in this connection.

While we typically think of movement as supporting our body (think bones, joints, muscles), it supports our mind just as much. Movement can feel meditative, grounding, empowering, and more. Movement also helps strengthen the mind-body connection, which has even more benefits for your mood and stress level. When you are more in tune with your body, you notice its cues, respond more effectively, and reduce the risk of burnout and injury.

Tips to Get Moving Your Way Tips to Get Moving Your Way

You don't need to join a gym or do intensive workouts to move. Movement can happen wherever you are and however works for you. Here are some things to think about:

Start slow and keep it simple. A 10-minute walk can improve your mood for two hours.
Make it feasible and sustainable. It doesn't need to be a 2-hour workout, it just needs to work for you.
Find ways to make it fun. We're more like to prioritize, look forward to, and enjoy fun things.
Choose something that engages your mind. Moving is a great way to get your mind off something that's stressing you.
Know yourself and what works best for you. Do you like...
1. moving alone or with someone
2. outdoors or indoors
3. rhythmic and continuous movement (walking, swimming, cycling) or something with more variety (basketball, dance, hiking)
4. low impact (stretching, yoga, walking) or high impact (contact sports, running)