This Easy Exercise Might Beat the Quarantine Blues
Feeling stuck? Missing people and places? Living in quarantine can wear thin and test the patience of even the most dedicated saints. Some people are finding their mood has begun to suffer—they've got the quarantine blues. Ready to pull your hair out and climb the walls? Or does a sense of melancholy have you in its grip? Not to be confused with clinical depression, the quarantine blues can take hold of anyone at any time and it's not necessarily clinical in nature. That truth notwithstanding, there are ways to break free of this mood and walking is one of the very best.
Walking Can Boost Your Mood
Okay, so you’ve probably heard this more times than you can count, but we’re going to say it once more, anyway: Exercise is good for you. We know, this bit of advice is so common it almost feels meaningless — until you try it for yourself and find out how good exercise can make you feel. Those first few sessions can be painful if you overdo it, but exercise can feel pretty incredible once you’ve pushed past that early inertia. And a surprising added benefit? It can do wonders for your overall mood.
Research has shown that walking for just 30 minutes, 3 days a week, can significantly reduce both depression and anxiety. This has to do with positive changes in the chemical activity in the brain, which may also include boosts to mental alertness, stress relief and quality of sleep.
Walking Workout Ideas
Before you say that you can't leave home—did you know that there's something called "walk-at-home"? And, even better, you don’t have to go far to find a good walking workout; there are tons to choose from on YouTube alone. Not sure where to start? We have some suggestions.
Walk at Home by Leslie Sansone has all sorts of free videos for you to exercise along to. Try the 15-minute 1 Mega Mile, which combines walking with simple cardio moves, or step it up a little with the 1 Mile Classic Walk with Rocky. Whichever walking workout you choose, it will get your blood pumping and your mood singing.
Looking for something a little different? 10,000 Indoor STEP Challenge with Joanna Soh is another great choice. Soh’s workout is low impact and shifts between low and moderate intensity. Get your daily steps in despite the stay-at-home orders and have fun doing it.
Prefer moving to a fast beat? Try the 2020 New Year 2 Mile Walking Workout with Up to the BEat Fit. This workout is 30 minutes of fast-paced, high-energy fun. Hop on to burn some calories and tell depression to take a hike.
Take a Walk Around the Block (If You Can)
As long as you’re not sick and are careful not to come within 6 feet of anyone else, you might want to consider heading outside and taking a walk around the block. Be sure to check out local advisories, however. Those in highly infected areas, such as New York City, aren’t recommended to walk due to an increased risk of infection.
If you’re not a city dweller, though, walking is a great way to get out and get some sunshine. Breathe some fresh air. Enjoy the budding flowers and clear, blue sky. Let’s face it, you can only force yourself to remain indoors for so long before it has a negative effect on your wellbeing. We’re not meant to spend the entirety of our lives cooped up in boxes.
Spending some time in the great outdoors may also boost your mood. Research has shown exposure to nature can reduce the physical and emotional effects of stress. Exposure to vitamin D from the sun can also boost mood and improve sleep.
If your mood has been taking a nose-dive due to social distancing and quarantine restrictions, you owe it to yourself to give walking a try. It might seem like a small step to take for your mood, but it could make a difference. Give it a shot and see how you feel after a few sessions. You might exit quarantine with a healthy new habit.
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