Maintain Mental Wellbeing by Moving your Body

by Junko Mifune, JSS Counsellor

JSS Challenge, JSS’s fundraising event, was held on June 13. All participants either walked or ran for 1 hour with or without family or friends for 1 hour. It was rather humid Sunday morning, but it was such refreshing to get a little sweaty with good physical activity.

An importance of maintaining daily physical activities during the pandemic has been repeatedly encouraged by many experts. Getting active is good for your physical health is a well-known fact, but physical activities has been prescribed more for mental wellbeing in recent years. That is because when you exercise, your brain produces hormone, Endorphin and Noradrenalin which makes you feel good. Also, so called “happy hormone” Dopamine and Serotonin will be released in your body as you activate your body, and as a result that would reduce anxiety and depression. Moreover, engaging in physical activities helps to relax your mind and promote good sleep, and that would benefits to maintain both physical and mental health.

Under the restrictions of current pandemic has resulted us to stay home longer and stare at TV or computer screen much longer than pre-Pandemic era. That is why it’s more needed than ever to get active with the comfort of your age and abilities.

A varieties of aerobic exercise are available for young bodies, but there are so many physical activities older adults can incorporate in daily routine:

Participate in Online activation group such as Chair Yoga according to your mobility (you can call in to participate in some online program by listening to the instructor)
Take a walk or do Nordic Pole Walking in your neighbourhood with or without your walking buddy
Move or dance with your favorite music or do routine exercise such as Radio Taiso (Japanese morning exercise routine offered by NHK)
Climb up and down stirs at Apartment or Condo buildings;

Cleaning, taking garbage recycling out, checking your mail, gardening,

By continuing your daily activities where you can get slightly sweaty, let’s try to stay healthy and well by maintaining both physical and mental health.

JSS is offering “Gentle Yoga for seniors”: https://jss.ca/news/senior-yoga/

Also please sign up for the online seminar presented by JSS & Momiji “Senior’s Physical and Emotional Wellness”：https://jss.ca/news/e-learning_wellness2021/