Moderate exercise can boost mood and help combat the Canadian winter blahs

Nov. 16, 2003 Provided by: Canadian Press

Emil Glassbourg, 43, takes part in a Pilates ball class in Toronto. (CP Archive/Frank Gunn)  TORONTO (CP) - Hibernation.

It's a concept that grows more appealing as the Canadian winter fast approaches. But human beings, for the most part, still need to haul themselves out of bed and tackle their daily routines despite shorter days and colder nights.

Luckily, summoning the energy to conquer the day instead of struggling through it can take as little as 15 minutes of exercise, at home.

"This is the time of year when staying active can be a challenge for some people," says Susan Cantwell, a personal trainer based in New Brunswick.

"Those cold damp fall days seem to make even some of the best of us want to run for our La-Z-Boys."

Cantwell, the author of several books on personal fitness, says shaking that lethargic feeling starts from the moment you wake up.

The moment you wake up? Aren't you already too busy to add any extra baggage to your morning routine?

"When you talk to people it seems that they have a list of excuses or reasons why they can't," says Cantwell. "If you set your alarm clock back 15 minutes, that isn't much."

In one simple stroke, you have all the exercise time you'll need. As for role models, adults can look to children for inspiration.

"I advise people to start by stretching like a child the minute you get out of bed," says Cantwell. That includes getting your back, arms and whole body limber while maintaining nice deep breaths, similar to how a child greets the day.

After a brief warm-up, you can get down on the floor and do a fairly decent workout in 10 to 15 minutes.

"Tricep dips, push ups, sit ups, lunges are all great exercises to start you off in the morning."

But take it slow to start. The point is to invigorate the body, not to leave it sore.

"Start off with one set of 12 to 15 repetitions and as you get stronger you can increase the amount of sets you do in the morning," says Canton.

"It's a great way to get your blood going."

And research shows that getting the blood pumping can improve a person's overall mood.

"The mental health benefits are extremely important," says Guy Faulkner, an assistant professor of physical education at the University of Toronto.

"Clearly there's a relationship between physical activity and people self-reporting that they feel good."

Research also shows that "feeling good" is more often the result of moderate physical activity and not vigorous, body shattering workouts. And surprisingly, people who exhibit no physical benefits from exercise still benefit psychologically.

"Certainly we find positive changes in mood and no changes in physical fitness," Faulkner said.

That's because moderate activity can be beneficial in terms of how a person feels in the here and now. "Physical activity is important for the feel good factor, it does make you feel good."

Using exercise to fight the blahs is one thing, but the long winters can bring on serious depression for some.

While physical activity isn't the full answer to afflictions like seasonal affective disorder, Faulkner says long-term exercise has been found to be a successful adjunctive treatment to depression.

In a country where the climate varies dramatically from summer to winter, switching gears from outdoor to indoor activity can leave some people stuck in neutral. The key to unlocking that mental tug of war is to understand why you're exercising, says Cantwell.

"It is a lot of work but you have to ask yourself, what do you want out of life?"

Cantwell says there are many reasons to exercise, including remaining active with your children, sharing a lifetime with a spouse, or just plain living longer.

"If you examine the reasons why you're not exercising, you'll find that they're really unbalanced."



Here are some tips from lifestyle coach Susan Cantwell to help you stay active and healthy when the cold weather sets in:

• Get Geared-Up: Wear wool, nylon or other man-made fabrics to keep you warm outside. Remember to layer your clothing so you can strip down or bulk up as you exercise.

• Walk at Every Opportunity: Walk between errands, walk to get your mail, park at the far end of a parking lot and walk to the door.

• Take the Boring Out of Housework: Add some of your favourite music and pick up the pace.

• Use TV Commercials to Your Advantage: If you can't tear yourself away from your favourite show use commercial time to strengthen your body. You can get a 20-minute workout during a 60 minute show.

• Use Your Lunch Break to Stay in Shape: If your company has a gym, team up with someone who already goes or go solo.

• Invest in Videos: Exercise videos are a great way to stay warm and in shape.

• If You Can't Beat the Weather Then Jump Right In: Think play! Rake some leaves and jump right in. When the snow starts to fall winter activities like cross country skiing, snow shoeing, and skating are all great cardiovascular exercises.