endorphasMIC
Join Erica each week as she delves deep into all things wellness, fitness, nutrition, entertainment, entrepreneurship, and spirituality. These intimate, deep, and often intense conversations go beyond the traditional podcast. They are designed to provoke, educate, inspire, and empower you to discover, uncover, unlock, and unleash your best, most authentic self.
To live. To feel alive. Because I can. Because I’m human. Because my humanity demands it! Movement. We weren’t wired this way by accident. Our physical and mental health is by design, dependent on movement. We are designed to feel good when we move because survival depends on movement. This was an obvious truth when hunting, gathering, and farming; our existence depended on our ability and desire to do survival tasks, so our bodies are chemically and hormonally designed to make us feel good when doing them. It is a much less obvious truth in modern society, but no less relevant. The endorphasm is the moment during movement you feel anything is possible. Clarity. This podcast is the exploration of movement as the foundation for a productive, fulfilling, rewarding, most excellent life.
endorphasMIC
The Healing Power of Movement
Can a simple walk around the block change your life? What if we told you that moderate activities like brisk walking or running could be your ticket to a happier, healthier you? Join me, Erica Porter, in this inspiring episode of Endorphasmic as we uncover the incredible mental health benefits of physical movement. We explore how activities you might already enjoy can elevate your mood, reduce stress, and boost your self-esteem. Discover the "endorphasm," that powerful state where everything feels possible, thanks to the natural release of endorphins and serotonin. We'll also dive into the communal joy of group fitness and the importance of social connections in managing stress and fostering a sense of community.
In the second part of our conversation, we focus on the transformative power of movement to bring hope and joy, especially to those feeling down. Through heartfelt stories from my work with individuals in my foundation, you'll see how even small amounts of physical activity can lead to profound emotional release and a sense of belonging. We'll talk about the importance of cherishing your ability to move and finding joy in simple exercises like yoga or a neighborhood walk. By setting achievable goals and leaning on social support, everyone can unlock the emotional and mental health benefits of regular physical activity. Let's embrace the endorphasm together and celebrate the gift of movement!
Welcome to Endorphasmic, where we talk about all things. Endorphasm I am your hostess, erica Porter. The impact of physical movement on your emotional state. It's a fascinating topic. It's often overlooked. Fortunately, more and more people are talking about it. Now I am going to talk about it until I'm blue in the face and perhaps on my deathbed, and even then I'll still talk about it.
Speaker 1:There's a lot of people that are really unaware of the significant effect that movement has on mental health. Have you ever felt kind of lighter and I don't mean lighter like weight-wise, just lighter as a person and happier after a brisk walk or an invigorating workout? It's not just coincidence, it's science demonstrating how movement influences your emotional state, and movement can really have a lot of positive effects on your emotions. They include your mood enhancement. Movement can improve your mood within five minutes yes, five minutes of moderate activity. It can also help with long-term depression, though it might take anywhere between four to six weeks to start really working and up to 10 weeks to reach its maximum effect. And that's because movement releases endorphins and serotonin in your brain. Those are the chemicals that make you feel good, right, the endorphasm, the moment during movement that you feel all things are possible when those endorphins are going and the serotonin is released. That is a powerful and the serotonin is released. That is a powerful, real, scientifically backed thing. It's real. The endorphasm is real.
Speaker 1:Stress reduction. Movement can help you manage stress, especially if you move with other people. Group fitness is powerful and you receive social support. In that way it really helps. It can also break the cycle of stress caused by physical symptoms like muscle tension, headaches, insomnia. I know this to be true.
Speaker 1:Movement can improve one's self-esteem. It can help you feel more in control. It can improve your self-image and foster positive self-talk. It can also alleviate symptoms like social withdrawal and low self-esteem. It improves cognitive function. Movement can enhance your ability to think, to learn and retain new information ability to think, to learn and retain new information. It can help your brain's memory and function, especially as we age. And regular movement can improve your sense of control, coping ability and self-esteem and achieving fitness goals. It can kind of distract you from negative thoughts and provide opportunities to try new experiences. And it's really important to talk about the mental health benefits of movement and how physical activity, however minimal at first, can play a significant role in enhancing one's mental health, from mood elevation to memory improvements and self-esteem boosts. Regular movement works wonders. I have been doing this for 30 years. I have worked with thousands of people in those 30 years and I know this all to be true. I have witnessed it. I have witnessed that even moderate movement, like running for 15 minutes or walking for an hour a day, it can reduce the risk of major depressive disorders.
Speaker 1:The link between movement and improved mental health is undeniable, undeniable. I think it's really important to incorporate movement into your daily routine. It doesn't have to be complicated. It can be a walk. A walk is amazing. Being outside, you know it's the small things. Right, it's incorporating movement into your daily routine. It doesn't need to be extreme. Whether you were walking outside or you're doing an online yoga class, it really can improve your focus. It can reduce so many different symptoms of so many different sorts, so many different symptoms of so many different sorts, and it helps conquer the obstacles that impede on our life, especially when we're dealing with mental health challenges, and even when the hurdles seem unbearable, the benefits far outweigh so, yes, sometimes we have to get a little bit uncomfortable, but those benefits far outweigh any temporary discomfort.
Speaker 1:I think that starting small with achievable goals, and incorporating movement into your daily routine and seeking social support can make that journey just a little bit easier. And movement is not about achieving a toned physique or really even about improving physical condition, even though that's a benefit. It's an opportunity for social interaction. It's participating in group activities that foster connection and relationships and improve self-esteem and reduce loneliness. I think that's the reason so many people have gravitated towards pickleball and things like that. So I would ask you to find your movement tribe, the individuals who kind of share similar interests and you know, it's always nice to be around like-minded people. It creates an environment where everyone motivates one another, it fosters strong bonds and it provides a lot of emotional support, which I think is crucial for dealing with negative thoughts our own and from other people. And I think that there is mindfulness in our life when we start to incorporate movement, which is really important.
Speaker 1:Movement and one's mental health they are deeply intertwined. From boosting mood to improving sleep, movement is a tool for enhancing overall well-being. Movement can combat anxiety. It can manage conditions like ADHD and PTSD. It can even mitigate depression. Social interactions during movement, during workouts, if you will, they add another layer of positivity to our emotional state. Starting small, with schools, and incorporating regular activity into our daily routines really can significantly improve mental health over time not overnight, certainly over time.
Speaker 1:And I feel as though, just because I've witnessed people that have never done anything and start to do something, and just in that brief moment, I watch, know, when I'm working with a lot of my foundation individuals, you know people that feel a little hopeless. You know they suddenly have hope and you know I've witnessed people that are going through different things in their life and they come in and sometimes you know they cry on the floor and that's okay, because there's obviously we need to release things. I would rather be crying on the floor, moving with other people, than to be crying myself on the couch, but that's me. So just a little bit of movement, incorporating something into your life and reaping the benefits of that movement, and you will find that it improves everything in your life, which you know.
Speaker 1:I can't find anything negative to say about movement, about physical activity In some capacity. It's a powerful, powerful thing and it's something that we get to do and it's a privilege and it's an honor, and I often say in class there is one day that we're not going to be able to do this. Today is not that day. So when you have that gift and you are able, don't squander it. Please take advantage. Go for a walk, take a bike ride, do yoga, find a boutique fitness studio that you enjoy the movement that they're doing and be happy and joyous. Fuck, it's the only life we get, ladies and gentlemen. Find the joy, be part of that, be the reason you have all that joy. All right, that's it Love, health and happiness and always much respect.
