It’s crazy how weather under 40 degrees affects the human body. I’m sure many of you feel more stiffness when you wake up each morning. What about when you are walking and trying to talk, you feel as if you can hardly breathe. In colder temperatures, our blood vessels and nerves constrict. This leads to less blood flow and circulation to some areas of the body. The cardiovascular system is affected where blood pressure may increase. This can lead which can lead to heart attacks or strokes. The respiratory system or lungs can be affected as cold can irritate the airways. It causes it to constrict leading to difficulty breathing. This can be bad if you have asthma, or any other respiratory condition. The ways to help are to keep the body warm, eat a balanced diet, and engage in light to moderate exercise.
Exercise has many benefits and just a half hour a day is all it takes. So, what are some great light exercises that can be done from the comfort of home
- Heel raises: When being on your tippy toes has it’s benefits. By standing up and lifting your heels off the ground, you are working your calf muscles. These are the muscles that important to having the ability to stand as well as walk and navigate stairs. Each time you lift up your heels, do a small count to 5 and repeat this 10-20 times depending on you ability.
- Squats: Think about when you go to sit down on a chair, the muscles you feel includes the glutes (Buttocks), calf muscles. If you can find a sturdy chair, with your arms raised you can sit down and get back up. If you want to do it without a chair that is okay as well. Just remove the chair take the same position. Repeat this 10-20 times depending on you ability.
- Modified Bridge: If you lay on your back on a leveled surface, you can plant your feet on the surface with your kneed raised. Next, just lift your butt up and holding it for a few seconds before coming down. Repeat this 10-20 times depending on you ability.
- Chair Dips: Get a sturdy chair. Stoop down in front of it (knees bent), now place your arms behind you on the chair as if to get up. This works your arms, buttocks (glutes), calf and thigh muscles. Repeat this 10-20 times depending on you ability.
- High Lunge: Step into a bended knee position if you can and then bring that knee up off the ground and stretch it backwards. Repeat this 10-20 times depending on you ability.
In the word’s of Beyonce, it’s time to move, move, move, move. These exercises are light to moderate, but if you need something a little more challenging there are other options. It’s the year of making sure we nurture our bodies especially in a season where we often forget to take care of it.