Exercise must be an integral part of human life. The overall benefits of exercising cannot be ruled out or debated.
However, when not to exercise is also equally important to know, especially the super exertion type of exercises like weightlifting, running, trekking, mountaineering, or any other exercise that requires high energy focus of mind and body.
Such exercises should be avoided when an individual is experiencing a failure to accomplish something and/or if the mind is experiencing depression, anxiety, panic, trauma, or as obsessive-compulsive behavior.
When an individual exercises, the body releases chemicals called endorphins. These endorphins interact with the receptors in your brain that reduce your perception of whatever undesired mental state an individual is experiencing. Endorphins also trigger a positive feeling in the body, similar to that of morphine. This is similar to the consumption of alcohol or any drug. It gives the individual a sense of euphoria that simply does have any sustaining and delivery capacity towards health and wellbeing. Exercise in such a situation will give a sense of physical fitness but definitely not health and well-being.
What this does is that it suppresses the mental energy into the cellular system and causes addiction, addiction to constantly exercising, and constantly pushing the envelope of exercising.
What is addiction? Addiction is anything that causes restlessness when an individual is unable to do that activity.
So, when a person is experiencing an undesired mental disturbance the best way to release the same is through
- Being in Nature, observing the open sky, clouds, mountains, flowing water, trees, birds, and animals.
- Observing the breath, practicing relaxed breathing.
- Stretching, light yoga asanas Tadasana, Utkatasana, Uttana shishosana, Adho Mukha Svanasana, Virabhadrasana , Trikonasana and Vrksasana.
- Listening to calming music.
- Eating sattvic vegetarian food.
- Slowing down – sitting still with closed eyes.
- Meditation.
- Saadhana (Any Spiritual Technique / Practice).
What this does, is that it releases the undesired energy from the bio-system, which is causing mind fluctuation rather than suppressing the same.
Once the mind is in a state of calm, any kind of exercise will result in not just physical fitness but also better health and well-being. Fitness (Physical), Health (Fitness+Psychological), and Well-being (Fitness+Psychological+Emotional and Spiritual).