The modern way of living is vastly different to our ancestors. With the rise of technology, jobs have become less physical, and many now find themselves working in an office spending a lot of time sat in a chair. Sofa hours have risen through watching TV, gaming and browsing the internet on our phones. Now, with the UK in lockdown and many people working from home, our step count is potentially lower still. Snugs think that during this time, we should be taking the opportunity to get fit and embrace the once-a-day outing for exercise which we like to refer to as the ‘Golden Hour’. Combined with an abundance of home workout videos and Apps, you’ll be seeing that step count go up in no time.
What are the benefits of exercise?
Exercise is widely known for the physical benefits such as helping to control your weight, and reduce risk of diseases such as heart disease (1). But there are additional benefits, to your mental wellbeing, which are very important to look after during this challenging time.
- During exercise, your body releases chemicals that can improve your mood and make you feel more relaxed (2).
- According to the NHS (3), exercise can lower the risk of depression up to 30%.
- People who exercise “feel more energetic throughout the day, sleep better at night, have sharper memories, and feel more relaxed and positive about themselves and their lives.” (4)
So, the combination of both physical and mental benefits to exercise makes for a strong case as to why we should be doing it.
Snugs Exercising Tips
Below are some of our top tips on exercising and some points to consider:
- Exercise and fitness are relative to the person – we are not suggesting you jump into a 10K with hill sprints straight away – you just need to be moving quick enough to raise your heart rate, breathe faster and feel warmer to get reap the benefits (3)
- Establish a routine. Once you start to condition your body and mind to exercise daily, putting those trainers on to do it becomes easier
- Make it a family event. If you are at home with your kids, then it is highly likely that they are doing P.E. with Joe Wicks at 9am daily. Doing exercise in your household group makes it entertaining. Warning – parents feel the burn more with children during his workouts!
- Keep track of your progress – when you can see how far you’ve come/improved, use it as a motivator. Keeping track also allows you to alter your routine to ensure personal improvement and to push yourself. You don’t want to plateau
- Variety is the spice of life. Alternate between cardio and strength training for an all-round body workout. We have enjoyed doing some of Fitness Blender’s videos on YouTube, they’re free and around 10 minutes long. Take a look at their channel here
- Listen to music – create a playlist (loads of options on Spotify) to work out to and use the music to motivate you
Leading on from the last point, we think that music should be an integral part of your golden hour of exercise. Studies suggest that the pleasurable experience of listening to a song can result in an increase in serotonin levels, which can put you in a better mood for your workout (5). It can also act as a distraction during a workout (6) to help you get into ‘the zone’, which may make running up that hill that little bit easier. With that in mind, having a comfortable earphone that stays in your ear is of vital importance. If you’re using music as a distraction, you do not want to be distracted by your earphone falling out repetitively…in which case, you need a pair of SnugsGo.
SnugsGo is our earphone tip solution which allows you to get custom ft from the comfort of your own home by taking your ear pictures. We measure your ears from your ear pictures – match them to our 3D scan database – and 3D print your Snugs using medical grade soft silicone. You can watch the process here. You then pop your Snug on to your earphone (replacing the generic tip) and your earphone is now transformed! Visit www.snugsfit.com and add a pair of SnugsGo to your kit now.
Make that golden hour the best listening experience too.
References
1. CDC, 2020. Benefits of Physical Activity [online] https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/pa-health/index.htm
2. Medline Plus, 2017. Benefits of Exercise [online] https://medlineplus.gov/benefitsofexercise.html
3. NHS, 2018. Benefits of Exercise [online] https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/exercise-health-benefits/
4. Center for Mental Health, 2020. The Mental Health Benefits of Exercise [online] https://www.centermh.org/2017/02/15/mental-health-benefits-exercise/
5. Altenmüller, E., & Schlaug, G., 2012. Music, brain, and health: Exploring biological foundations of music’s health effects. In R. A. R. MacDonald, G. Kreutz, & L. Mitchell (Eds.), Music, health, and wellbeing, 12-24. New York: Oxford University Press.
6. EBPCOOH 2018. Motivation To Exercise – Is Music The Key? [online] https://ebpcooh.org.uk/motivation-to-exercise-music/