It is not a hidden fact that exercise plays a significant role in addiction recovery. With the cold season here, you can practice some great winter home exercises for addiction treatment. These exercises will not only help with your recovery but also boost your health and wellbeing.
For addiction recovery, exercise comes with many benefits, which we will explore in detail over the next few paragraphs. You gain so much by keeping fit and staying fit, especially in the winter season.
But first, you need to know which winter exercises are great for addiction recovery. To that end, we will also discuss some of the best winter home exercises to boost your treatment and recovery.
At the end of this read, not only will you have more than one reason to practice keeping and staying fit. You will also know about some of the most exciting ways to do so!
Benefits of Exercise for Addiction Recovery in Winter
When you are addicted to drugs and alcohol, it alters your body chemistry. However, as you rid your body system of these toxic substances, you may experience several withdrawal symptoms.
These withdrawal symptoms may leave you feeling depressed, anxious, and sensitive to stress factors. As part of addiction treatment in Toronto, experts have come up with practices to help manage these situations.
Exercise is one of these practices. Engaging in physical activity helps you get away from these negative emotions. It also leaves you feeling positive and mindful. Other benefits of exercise to your addiction recovery include:
It Reduces Stress
During your addiction treatment and recovery, you may find yourself stressed. This can cause you to relapse if handled poorly. Exercise is one way you can reduce and control stress during your recovery.
When you exercise, it spurs the release of feel-good endorphins in your brain. The release and circulation of these endorphins help with stress reduction and control.
It Helps You Sleep Better
Some people claim they began using drugs or alcohol because they found it difficult to sleep. However, regular exercise helps you sleep better. It not only enables you to sleep better but also increases the quantity and quality of your sleep.
It Increases Your Energy
When you exercise, you burn excess fat, which causes you to sweat. This fat-burning process requires you to expend energy.
However, in doing so, you gain more energy and increase your stamina. Thus, exercise boosts your energy when you begin to feel tired during your addiction recovery.
It Boosts Your Immune System
Besides aiding your addiction treatment, exercising regularly boosts your immune system. Hence, you have better protection from several addiction-related health conditions like heart disease, diabetes, etc.
It Improves Your Mood
During addiction recovery, you may experience changes in your mood from time to time. Where mood is concerned, one way to prevent addiction relapse, especially in winter, is by exercising regularly.
These regular exercises help your body to adjust naturally to treatment and recovery instead of depending on drugs or alcohol. It also leaves you feeling positive and keeps you focused on the track to recovery.
It Prevents Relapse
One of the most important benefits of exercising is its power to prevent you from relapsing during recovery. By exercising regularly, you improve your chances of remaining sober and stay on course to recover from drug or alcohol use fully.
Other benefits of exercise for your addiction recovery in winter include:
- It helps in healing your body and brain.
- It improves your mental health.
- It keeps you healthy.
- It combats withdrawal symptoms.
Best Winter Home Exercises for Addiction Treatment
During the winter, it may be too cold to go to a gym facility or jog outside. However, it does not mean you should stop exercising. There are some home exercises you can perform indoors in the comfort of your home.
These exercises include:
Yoga
This is one of the best exercises you can perform. Most centers for addiction treatment in Toronto also advise patients to practice yoga. Yoga can be done anywhere in your home and is a relaxing physical activity.
You can heat your room during winter before doing yoga to allow you to relax in a warm setting. One huge benefit of yoga is that it teaches you control and balance. As you very well know, increased control is always a good thing for addiction treatment.
Cardio Workouts
During the cold weather, it may be impossible to jog outside. If you are a fan of cardio exercises and enjoy running, it does not mean you should stop exercising. You can do alternative activities in your home during the winter that can get your heart pumping. These include:
- Climbing Stairs
- Jump Rope
- Burpees
- Mountain Climbers
- Jumping Jacks
- High Knees
Callisthenics
This is one of the best winter home exercises for addiction treatment you can do. The best part is you can perform this exercise in the comfort of your home without needing to buy any special equipment.
All you need to do is perform three or four callisthenics routines three or four times weekly. These routines can strengthen you all through the winter. They include:
- Push-Ups
- Calf Raises
- Squats
- Planks
- Crunches
- Chair Dips
- Lunges
- Leg Lifts
Kettlebell Exercises
This form of exercise may not be impressive for some people. However, it is beneficial for your muscles and your mental health. Some of the kettlebell’s benefits include improving cardio health, muscle toning, and strength. It is also an easy exercise to do.
To perform this exercise, you need to grab kettlebells ranging in weight from 8kg to 32kg. Go to a spacious place at home and perform the workouts. The kettlebell workouts include:
- The Two-Armed Kettlebell Row: In this routine, you will keep two kettlebells in front of your feet and slightly bend your knees. Pick both kettlebells and pull them in your stomach’s direction with your elbows close to your body. Do this repeatedly ten to fifteen times.
- The Goblet Squat: In this routine, you will use both hands to hold a larger kettlebell ahead of your chest. With your elbows close to your body, proceed to drive your heels to the floor. Then, push your hips back till your thighs become parallel to the floor. Return from your squat position to a standing position and repeat for 15-20 times.
- The Russian Twist: Here, you need to sit on the floor with your legs bent and your feet flat. Hold a kettlebell at your chest with both hands. Lean back to an angle of 45 degrees. Proceed to rotate your torso from right to left. You can do this by twisting at your waist and swinging the kettlebell across your body.
House Cleaning
Surprisingly, cleaning your house can become one of the winter home exercises for addiction treatment you engage in during the cold season.
House cleaning can be a physical activity, especially if you have to do some mopping and vacuuming. It keeps your mind occupied as you turn your home into a clean haven.
To cap it off, it can be a great mood booster. Who doesn’t like the feeling of a clean, fresh-smelling space?
Conclusion
If you’re reading this, you now know some of the best winter home exercises for addiction treatment. You are also aware of the numerous benefits of exercise to your addiction treatment and recovery.
Achieving sobriety and physical fitness is not an easy ride and requires you to be totally committed. Keep your mind focused on your end goal and engage only in activities that boost your chances of achieving a full recovery.
Do you feel like you may need more help maintaining sobriety during the winter season? Addiction Rehab can provide that extra level of professional addiction support. We offer personalized, holistic solutions to addiction issues. Get in touch with us today!
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