While it is obvious that your feelings can influence your movement, it’s not so obvious that your movement can impact your feelings too. An example might be that when we feel tired and sad, we may move slower than when we are feeling good, energized and joyous. In direct correlation, when we feel anxious, we may find ourselves rushing about or conversely, completely paralysed.
Recent studies show that the connection between your brain and your body is indeed a two-way street and that means movement really can have an impact how you feel, emotionally and psychologically. Moving your body really can change your brain.
Regular activity can also have a huge impact on mental health, specifically reducing anxiety as the brains fight or flight system because less reactive. When we take part in physical exercise and move our body, the stress response caused by day to day life events and challenges mirror the effects taking place in the body when we exercise, such as higher heart rate. This means we are able to build a deeper tolerance to such physical change, thus reducing the trigger opportunities from the reaction to stressful situations.
Movement mediation, including mindful movement, Qi Gong, Tai Chi and Yoga are proven to reduce symptoms of depression. This type of movement focuses on the body moving slowly and with ease. Teachers work with their students to practice paying attention to the body, how the body moves and what it feels like to move this way. As we connect with this type of movement, our nervous system slows and finds balance, allowing feel good chemicals of dopamine and serotonin to secrete the organs and body. These chemicals give off the same feeling as when we are hugged by a loved one or maybe we eat a piece of our favourite chocolate.
Frequent (2 or 3 times per week) movement practice as described, can reduce the severity of symptoms in post-traumatic stress disorder. Changing your posture, breathing, and rhythm of your heart through the way we move can all change your brain. This will reduce stress, depression, and anxiety, and leading to a deeper feeling of well-being.
There are some surprising benefits of moving together as a class or community.
Whilst we know we can move our body alone, at the gym, maybe out for a walk; studies and research now show that when we move in time with others it can have all the benefits outlined in this blog but also improve our self esteem.
In 2014 Psychologist Joanna Lumsden completed a study on the benefit of movement in groups. The outcomes of this study showed that those who moved in groups and mirrored the movement of others that their self esteem was higher (based on survey results) to those who completed the same movement class alone.
The study and it’s results.
Sync or sink? Interpersonal synchrony impacts self-esteem – PMC (nih.gov)
To summarise
Our mind and body are connected, we know that. The brain might be the master controller of our whole system but the way you move can truly affect how we think and feel.
Movement therapies are used to support those with depression and anxiety. In Chinese medicine, the first prescription is movement, before any medication. If we consider moving our body more to support our mental wellbeing, we may just open a new door way to connecting more with our needs, thus benefitting from some significant changes in our mental health that can bring about a deeper connection to life, fill us with joy and contentment, help us increase our fitness levels, become more healthy and overall live a life that is rid of anxiety and certainly less stressful.
Source: The link between movement and good mind health, Harvard Health – 2021
