There is a natural tendency during the winter months to hibernate: we stay inside more, are generally less active and enjoy the sensation of being relaxed, cozy and warm with maybe a few extra comfort treats. These instinctual feelings are natural for the season. But we also run the risk of being more prone to symptoms of “stagnation”: seasonal depression, unwanted weight gain and fatigue. The “easy” antidote to stagnation is movement, particularly “green exercise”: moving outside together in nature to benefit from the fresh air, healing power of nature and connection with others. But somehow the things we need most often feel the hardest to do.
Exercise, as we all know, is the vitality of life, while stagnation breads death. The body and mind survive and thrive on movement, and really struggle when its missing from our lives. It really is the ultimate act of selfcare on all levels of our being. Exercise optimizes virtually all our body systems: it normalizes blood pressure and strengthens heart function, improves memory, focus, balance and coordination, promotes healthy detoxification through the liver, kidneys and skin, supports digestion, builds muscle mass and burns excess adipose tissue, improves the quality of our sleep and sex life, optimizes immune function, reduces feelings of anxiety, depression, fatigue, brain fog and stress, and gives you a sense of strength, confidence and overall internal and external glow.
Considering the immense benefits of exercise, a little push against the stagnation of winter can be the answer to optimizing your health and keeping your mood lifted and weight and energy stable through the colder months. So don’t let this opportunity for selfcare slip you by this season! Get up and out walking, weight lifting, running, hiking, stretching, riding and all your other favorite ways to bank in on this powerful health practice.
Start small so it’s approachable and 100% doable and slowly work your way up so that movement becomes just a normal part
of who you are. Your body and mind will thank you!