It is important to keep our mind and body healthy, but what can you do to exercise safely when you’re alone?
Our previous article mentioned the 10 benefits of exercising. BC Medical Journal also described that physical activity is beneficial and important for our survival and health. There is a central relationship between lack of physical activity and the development of chronic diseases. An active lifestyle reduces mortality and prevents many chronic diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes, stroke, and cancer. Additionally, the journal further indicated that exercise can promote healthy cognitive and psychosocial function.
The research concluded that the evidence suggests that there is “an inverse relationship between physical activity and mortality and the development of chronic disease: the greater the amount of physical activity, the greater the benefit.”
So, how can we safely exercise when we are alone?
- First thing’s first, warm-up before you work out and cool down properly afterward. Harvard University recommends that taking five to ten minutes for warming up and cooling down can help prevent us from injuring ourselves. Mayo Clinic also mentions that warming up can improve our athletic performance. Warming up helps our body prepare for exercise and increases blood flow to our muscles, which reduces soreness and risk of injury. On the other hand, cooling down after exercise helps regulate blood flow after an intense workout.
- Listen to your body. Harvard University suggests that you hold off on exercise when you are not feeling well and stop exercise early if you feel faint. Greatist reiterates that “listening to your body means listening to your mind.” Greatist also mentions how Arielle Thomas Newman, founder and director of Yoga by the Sea, stressed that when you work out, “your head needs to be dialed in, otherwise you risk hurting yourself.” Also, remember that “your body sends you signals,” as cited by Breaking Muscle. Pay attention to your body if anything feels wrong and ask yourself, “How does it feel? Fast, smooth, fluid, easy, good? Slow, shaky, hard, painful, sore, rocky?.”
- Don’t forget to stay hydrated. According to Better Health, you lose around 1.5 liters of fluid for every hour of exercise. Staying hydrated can bring you lots of benefits, as mentioned in our previous article. Without proper dehydration, your body has to work harder to regulate body temperature, Self reported. Your natural cooling mechanism may not work well because, without fluid, the skin cannot cool down as it needs to sweat. Therefore, drinking water before, during, and after a workout session is essential.
- Make sure to do it right. Better Health further stressed that getting your workout technique right from the beginning is important, as this will ensure you are using your muscles correctly. It is important to check your technique when exercising. This is because incorrect training techniques can lead to sprains, strains, fractures, and other painful injuries, Mayo Clinic reported.
- Have a dedicated rest day. Healthline stressed on how important a rest day is for your body. Weirdly enough, a rest day can actually improve your overall performance. This is because rest increases your energy and prevents fatigue, which means that your rest prepares your body for other successful workouts.
Most importantly, always remember to know your limits when you’re working out by yourself.
Stay safe, and stay vigilant.
