Things to do before and After You Exercise to Improve its Healthy Benefits

The benefits of exercise are long and proven. Whether you lift weights, do aerobics, Zumba, power walk, swim or one of hundreds of other activities aimed at raising your heart rate and toning your muscles, they all have amazingly positive attributes for all who practice exercise regularly. But what is less known is that there are things you can do before and after you exercise that will enhance the benefits you receive when you work out. Here are the top two things you need to do to get the most out of exercise.

Before you exercise, meditate

Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years in places as far flung as China, Europe and South America. It is a practice that attracts people looking for a way to work on their minds, bodies, and spirits and gain a better understanding or control over all three. Specific meditation benefits can include:

• A quieter mind and greater inner peace.
• An increase various desirable qualities including loving kindness, compassion, humility, and forgiveness.
• Becoming a more spiritually sensitive person and gaining a better feeling of a creator.
• Acquiring greater mindfulness so that we can become more present.
• Relieving stress; lowering one’s blood pressure; entering a deeper state of relaxation.
• Increasing one’s creative potential.
• Increasing one’s focus and concentration.

Meditation is one of the tools proven to positively affect your mood and feelings of well-being. Studies have shown that meditation is an effective treatment for depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders and combining it with exercise makes both better for you. As an example, the combination of meditating and running is probably better for mental health than doing either of those activities alone. Rutgers University scientists recruited 22 men and women who had been given diagnoses of depression and after a 6 month regimen of meditation and running, they averaged a 40 percent reduction in depressive symptoms. There needs to be larger studies performed, but there is definitely something great that happens when you combine the two disciplines. So the best plan of action is to do 30 minutes of meditation before you work out and you will gain additional benefits from this combination.

After You Exercise, Soak in a Spa

Hydrotherapy (soaking in a Spa) provides many health benefits, and supports other healthy habits like exercise. Hydrotherapy can increase athletic performance, cardiovascular performance, and simply make you feel better. If you suffer from carpal tunnel, osteoporosis, fibromyalgia, poor blood circulation, sleep problems, and other chronic issues, you may also experience health improvements simply from using Spas on a regular basis. Here are some of the most prominent:

• Helps to improve flexibility
• May improve or ease health conditions, including diabetes, arthritis and multiple sclerosis, which may hinder your exercise plans
• Promotes an alert mind and healthy body
• Relaxes your body and mind and reduces stress
• Relieves insomnia and restlessness
• Eases muscle and joint discomfort and soreness and helps your muscles to recover after and between workouts

You may not see any significant weight loss by soaking in a Spa. However, the health and fitness benefits listed here will definitely assist you in achieving your exercise goals and improve your quality of life. So call a reputable dealer like 1st Direct and choose one that fits your budget and needs. Then use it after every workout (and even when you don’t work out).