At Find Your Detox we hope to inspire you to engage in an activity to help you release the “mental toxins” that prevent you from being your best you. The Detox(s) that we promote run the gamut from high intensity physical activity to more sedentary activities. We are learning with you that there are benefits to both, and everything in between.
A recent study by lead author, Lee Smith, Professor of Public Health at Anglia Ruskin University, published in the journal Neuroscience and Biobehavioural Reviews, found that physical activity reduced the risk of depression by 23% and anxiety by 26%. Interestingly the study found a strong association between low and moderate physical activity, such as gardening, golf and walking, and a reduced risk of depression.
While there was a general benefit across men and women and in different age groups, different people respond to different exercises and intensity. Therefore it is important to acknowledge everyone’s differences and find the correct level of exercise that works for you. This aligns perfectly with our message here at Find Your Detox.
“The fact that even low to moderate levels of physical activity can be beneficial for mental health is particularly important, given that these levels of activity may be more achievable for people who can make smaller lifestyle changes without feeling they need to commit to a high-intensity exercise programme.”
So how is a person supposed to find time to incorporate a new activity? There is no easy answer or magic spell. We all struggle with this. Even your friends who appear to exercise regularly have their slumps. So take it slowly.
Start with a walk. No equipment needed, no special outfit or new shoes.
Don’t over think it, just go.
A walk in the early morning is incredible. It is like you are part of a secret society because the only people out are people like you finding their morning Detox. An extra 30 minutes will do wonders for your day.
A walk in the evening will help you relax before bed. Taking a walk after dinner will help you digest and wind down your day.
If time is too tight for you then maybe a lunch break is in order. Getting up from your desk and walking around the neighborhood will stretch out your hips and lower back and energize you for the afternoon meetings.
If you have already rationalized why none of the above will work, you have one more option: trick yourself! Take a longer route whenever you walk somewhere. If you live in a city like me, take a longer route to the subway or a detour through your local park on the way home. Even better, skip your closest subway station or bus stop and walk to the next one. If you regularly take a bus across town to the train station, skip the bus and walk to the train station.
Once you get started you will feel the difference. You might think the new feeling is from a good night’s sleep or a fun time out with friends, but it is the activity, the movement and the biochemical reactions in your body that are making you feel good. Keep it up and keep moving because you have Found Your Detox.
Reference: Lee Smith, et al, Physical activity and prevention of mental health complications: An umbrella review, Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, Volume 160, 2024