Today is National Women’s Health & Fitness Day?
The goal of this day is to encourage women to take control of their health: to learn the facts they need to make smart health choices and to make time for regular physical activity.
Getting regular physical activity is one of the best things you can do for your health. Exercise is always talked about when it comes to maintaining weight and heart health, but did you know that regular exercise can also help with the following:
Help to balance hormonally driven mood swings – the constant shift in hormones also affects our brain chemistry and moods. When estrogen levels drop, women lose the natural source of serotonin, the feel-good brain chemicals. This can make you more susceptible to moodiness, depression, anxiety. Exercise can counteract these hormones triggered mood swings by releasing endorphins. So when you feel that cranky mood coming on, try 30 minutes of exercise to boost your mood. It works!
Improves sleep – Studies have shown that women have more difficulty falling and staying asleep compared to men and experience more daytime sleepiness. Coupled with hormonal changes and motherhood, this can disrupt sleep even more. The last thing you want to do when you are tired is to exercise, we all know you would rather grab another cup of coffee. A study of 2,600 participants, published in the Journal of Mental Health and Physical Activity, participants who incorporated 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity into their week reported a 65 percent improvement in sleep quality. They also felt less sleepy during the day.
We encourage you to get up and get moving today, whether it is a walk around the block or a yoga session from YouTube, lifting free weights or taking the Peloton for a spin, today is the day to start getting active!
