HOW EXERCISE CAN HELP BOOST YOUR MENTAL HEALTH TOO
As well as the physical effects, a cancer diagnosis can also give your emotional and mental health a battering.
“Many people who have cancer experience fear, worry, a sense of isolation, reduced self-esteem and self-image,” explains Carolyn.
“However, good, regular doses of activity can help boost your mood as well as improve your overall health and recovery.”
What your chosen activity is doesn’t really matter, although it helps if it’s something you love as you’re more likely to stick at it. And it’s the intensity that counts.
Judging the intensity of your activity is tricky as it can vary person to person, but a good gauge is to make sure you’re moving enough in order to get out of puff and feel so warm you need to take off your jumper.
By keeping the intensity of your activity high enough it will help to reduce symptoms such as depression and anxiety. So even if you’re only capable of a short walk, try to make it as brisk as possible.
As well as boosting feel-good hormones (endorphins), exercise can have a positive impact on other areas of your life, explains Carolyn. It can help you get a good night’s sleep – which will have a positive effect on mood and recovery – and it can also help to restore lost appetite, which will help you get the nutrients you need for a good recovery.
Exercise, especially aerobic exercise, has been shown to reduce tension in your body, which may have been building up from the treatment and anxiety caused by a diagnosis. It can be an outlet for negative feelings, and you may find it can be meditative as you are counting reps or simply just focusing on moving your body.
Getting outside will have an even more powerful mood-boosting effect, so it’s worth thinking about activities outside the home if you can.
The fresh air and being around nature will help to calm and soothe any anxiety as well as create the energising feeling of being active. Lifting weights can make you feel more empowered, especially if you’ve been feeling weak and vulnerable since diagnosis and treatment, explains Carolyn.
“Being physically stronger can impact your life,” she says.
“You will feel back in control and you’ll know that if you fall over, for example, you can get yourself back up again.”
Carolyn also suggests exercising in a group as another way to combat the isolation cancer can cause.
Whether it’s a walking group, gym class or your local Parkrun, getting yourself moving with other people will boost physical and mental wellbeing at the same time.