From The How of Happiness by Sonja Lyubomirsky

Happiness Activity Number 12 – Taking Care of You Body Through Physical Activity

 

 

·         An impressive study of physical activity was published in the Archives of Medicine, 1999

·         For the study men and women have been recruited, 50 years and older, all with depression

·         Researchers divided them into three groups: first group aerobic, second medicine and third

·         Group with both. All three were better, but the exercise group did better than the rest

·         Very remarkable, after 6 months, those in the exercise group were less likely to relapse

 

·         Physical Activity reduces anxiety, stress, protects us from dying in general and from

·         Dying of cardio vascular disease in particular, reduces the risk of numerous diseases

·         Diabetes, colon cancer, hyper tension; builds bones, muscles and joints

·         Increases quality of life, improves sleep, protects from cognitive impairments

·         Helps control weight

·         Exercise may be the most successful Happiness Booster of all activities

·         Taking up exercise makes you feel in control of your body and your health

·         Seeing yourself get better at something provides a sense of self worth

·         Physical Activity offers potential for Flow and

·         It is a good distraction from worry and ruminations

·         Meditation and Physical Activity often show identical effects:

·         Reduced anxiety and increased mood lifting hormones

 

·         Physical Activity, provides opportunities for social contact

·         Bolsters social support, reinforcing friendships- lifting the burden of isolation

·         Vigorous physical activity elevates endorphins, euphoria educing opioides

Physical Activity has benefits:

1.       The acute, immediate boost you get from a single bout of exercise

2.       Chronic improvements from ongoing exercise program…

a.       it takes 11 weeks for a program to stick

b.      when you reach it, the program becomes habitual – you just do it

 

Do something that fits you

Do not overdo it

 

·         in one exercise participants cycled at 60% capacity, for 30’

·         half claimed to feel gradually worse and half gradually better

·         do more and more exercise

·         Regular physical activity will make you happier

 

Sleep

·         We need an adequate amount of sleep,

·         Our society would be better if we would get an extra hour of sleep

·         You can become happier while you sleep