For hundreds of thousands of years, humans have had a deep mind-body connection. But in recent times, many of us have become preoccupied with daily stressors and disconnected from our bodies. The result? Anxiety, depression, and other mood problems.
If you’ve been feeling moody, exercise may be just what you’re missing. Scientists have found that even a single workout session can help treat most mild-to-moderate mood issues (especially when combined with other treatments your doctor recommends).
Want to reconnect with your body? Try these easy mood-boosting workouts:
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10-minute cardio session
You don’t need to train for a marathon to get the astounding mood-boosting benefits of cardio. In fact, scientists have found that 5 minutes of sprint interval training is equivalent to 45 minutes of moderate-intensity continuous training. (1)
To get a good workout in 10 minutes, do interval training where you alternate high-intensity exercise that elevates your heart rate with low-intensity exercise that lets you recover. For example, repeat 30 seconds of sprinting followed by 2 minutes of walking.
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10-minute yoga session
Yoga reduces anxiety and stress and improves balance, flexibility, strength, weight loss, cardiovascular endurance, and back pain. And you can get these benefits in just a few minutes a day. (2)
Lookup a 10-minute yoga video on Youtube. Hold each posture for about 30 seconds to get the best stretch.Here’s one that stretches your whole body!
References
- Gillen JB et al. (2016). Twelve weeks of sprint interval training improves indices of cardiometabolic health similar to traditional endurance training despite a five-fold lower exercise volume and time commitment. PLoS One. 11(4): e0154075.
- Büssing A et al. (2012). Effects of yoga on mental and physical health: A summary of reviews. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012: 165410.
