The way you move your body can change the way you think and feel. The connection between the brain and movement goes deeper than you might think. There is a revolutionary new understanding of the mind-body connection indicating that our movement influences how we might think and feel. Caroline Williams new book Move! The new science of body over mind exposes the emerging research that our body movements affect the mind and body and why! Here are six things you should do to improve the mind and through movement.
GET ON YOUR FEET
It is not new news that walking and running help clear the mind. The pace you run or walk at has different mental benefits. Running or walking at an easy pace allows the mind to wander which favors rational, straight line thinking, and creates space for broader, more creative ideas to flow! If you pick up pace this leads to a boost in blood flow and release in endorphins. The increased blood flow is crucial for memory and spatial awareness and the endorphins of course help us feel happier!
GET STRONG
People who are stronger at middle age have better memory and more grey matter! One reason for this is the hormone osteocalcin which is released from the bones during weight-bearing exercise. Lack of osteocalcin could be linked to cognitive decline and neurodegenerative disease! But the benefits of being strong don't stop there. Physical strength also creates mental resilience. The stronger our muscles, bones and cardiovascular system are - the stronger our mind. Strength training is also a powerful tool against anxiety and depression! It is not too late to build a strength training regime into your tail routine.
DANCE
A friend once said to me “If you are feeling down, put on some music and dance!” and guess what!? It works!! And is proven to do so! The power of dance brings humans together and creates a feel good factor. Our brain work as prediction machines that constantly make guesses about what it is likely to happen next. A regular beat is satisfying because it indicates that something good is coming with each beat. Each time our prediction is correct we get a small hit of dopamine, a neurotransmitter involved in feelings of pleasure. But wait it gets better.. Following the predicted beat we get another hit of dopamine! Ahh feels good to Dance!
BREATHE
Take deep breaths mommy , take deep breaths! My kids always say this to me when I’m starting to get angry about a messy room! And it works! If you slow your breath it calms the mind. Just take a moment to take a deep inhale through the nose - filling up your entire rib cage, allowing it to expand out as far as it can go! Then slowly release that breath through the mouth! Do you feel calmer! Incredibly when you regulate the way you breathe it takes charge of your brainwaves. It slows the heart down , calms your mind and allows the brain to process information. Inhaling and exhaling six times per minute has also shown to stimulate vagus nerves which resets the body during states of stress. In fact, three breaths a minute makes your body so calm it may even make you fall asleep.
STRAIGHTEN UP
A slouched posture has been linked to negative thinking or feeling of defeat!
Expanded posture brings a positive attitude! When you lengthen the spine and this connects to the brain and indicates a stronger and more healthy body which releases adrenaline and other hormones and fire neurons to the torso to tell us to support our posture! Recent research has shown that there are strong links with improved mental wellbeing and the stress-relieving effects of core-based exercise such as Pilates, yoga and tai-chi.
STRETCH
Stretching reduces inflammation and prevents stiffness. Stretching moves the body fluids along, allowing the immune system to give these ligues a regular clean out and deal with inflammation as it arises. Stretching causes changes in the fascia which is critical for draining the lymphatic system. A healthier fascia results in reduced inflammation! People who regularly participate in yoga and tai-chi have lower levels of inflammation and less depression. Inflammation is linked to depression, chronic pain and fatigue! Try a yoga class today! Everyone’s body deserves a good stretch!
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