You are lying in bed at 6:30 a.m, restless once again, because you can’t sleep. The stress of college has overcome you to the point where sleeping does not even seem like an option. The amount of things that have to get done today seem to outnumber the amount of hours you have. But somehow, you will make it through. Somehow, everything will get done. And instead of just feeling that relief at the end of the day, starting your morning with an exercise routine can give you this boost from the get-go.
At one point or another, it was difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel. For some, the light won’t come until the end of the semester. For some, like myself, we aren’t sure when the light will come, but we know it will. A positive attitude is a key piece to navigating your way through college. But there is actually another fragment that has a lot more impact than you think, mentally and physically: a good workout routine.
Now, before you start with your excuses that you do not have time or that you are too tired and don’t have the energy, let me explain a few things. Workouts don’t have to be high intensity every day. Just walking on the treadmill for 10 to 15 minutes boosts the chemicals in your body in ways that you probably never realized. Do you even have to work out everyday? No. Three to four times a week is sufficient, but don’t get me wrong, more than that has never been considered a bad thing.
Quite simply, this routine is so important because it gives you a few minutes to yourself every day. It allows you to forget about everything going on in your life, just put your headphones in, and concentrate on the music. Concentrate on walking off your frustrations, stresses, and anxieties. You may be in a situation where the light seems almost impossible to find, but I am here to tell you it isn’t. You have to tell yourself it isn’t. Just breathe. That feeling that your whole life is caving in on you is far more common than you think. It’s happening to your peers just as it is happening to you. Taking these few easy steps won’t rid you of these types of problems, but the side effects could substantially subside.
Feel like you don’t have the energy to work out? I am here to tell you that you do. Running a marathon every morning or evening is not the optimal goal. Just walking on the treadmill for 10-15 minutes, something we all can do every day and have time for every day, is something that we all need to invest in. As of late, I have been waking up when my body decides to get up, going down to the treadmill, and walking.
Sometimes, working out is going to be the last thing you want to do, but as our dear friend Elle Woods once said, “exercise releases endorphins, and endorphins make people happy.”
