Knowing exercise is good for your mood and actually doing it are two separate things, discovers Bipolar Mums founder Mariska.
I�ve got something to admit.� I�ve read countless articles that talk about the benefit of exercising for people with mood disorders.� I�ve listened as researchers promote exercise as a way of relieving stress and lifting your mood.
And still� I don�t do it.
Every morning, I open one eye as my husband gets up to train for an adventure race he�s doing in Thailand this month.
And then I pull the covers closer around me and snooze until I�ve got half and hour left before I need to have school lunches made, bags packed and be driving out of the driveway for school drop off.� An hour later, I sit down at work, inhaling a cup of coffee to give me the boost I need to start my day.
Needless to say, I�m not a morning exercise type of person.
Problem is that I�m not an evening exercise type of person either.� By the time my husband and I have our three kids fed and in bed, the last thing I feel like doing is pulling on my active wear and heading out in the cold to the gym.
I could hit the treadmill collecting dust in my garage, but problem is, I�m not an exercising alone type of person.� I prefer to exercise while catching up with friends. Only problem is that we usually skip the exercise and just catch up over a cup of tea.
So this leave me in a dilemma.
If I want to be serious about my mental health, I know that I need to prioritise some form of exercise.� But it needs to be something that I can commit to without it seeming like a chore that I�d do anything to avoid.
I was dwelling on this in recent weeks when a newspaper article caught my eye, extolling the benefits of �tree walking�.� Apparently, benefits of a�long walk compound when you add trees to the equation.� Being among nature, with trees around you, is now scientifically proven to boost your mood significantly.
Which brings me to my new resolution.
I am going to commit to going on a walk among trees every week ��rain, hail or shine.�And I�m going to find a friend who wants to come with me.�Lucky for me I happen to live at the base of a mountain range, with lots of trails to choose from.
So now, I just need to get off the couch and up that mountain!
Mariska xx
Do you use exercise as a way to boost your mood or reduce stress?� I�d love to hear what you do or if you struggle with finding the motivation to exercise.
