If you are recovering from an addiction to drugs or alcohol, you know that it takes focus and determination to stay sober. What you may not know, however, is that fitness can also play an integral role in your recovery efforts. Exercise can help relieve stress and keep your mind and body strong during addiction treatment. Here are some ways you can keep yourself moving.
SilverSneakers Can Benefit Seniors in Recovery
For many seniors in recovery, financial concerns can prevent them from maintaining a physical fitness routine. If you’re one of these seniors, you should know that some Medicare Advantage and Medigap insurance plans include access to SilverSneakers. SilverSneakers is a program that provides free access to fitness centers and even yoga classes, so be sure to look into this valuable benefit. Your Medicare plan may already include SilverSneakers fitness perks, but you can also adjust your plan to gain access to this beneficial program. If you prefer to work out at home, you can also search online for senior-friendly exercises that will improve your strength and balance, and also support your recovery. For some added stress relief and range of motion, also consider adding some chair yoga poses to your regular physical fitness routine.
Fitness Trackers Can Provide Insight & Motivation
Being able to see your progress, even if you cannot see changes in your body just yet, can provide some much-needed motivation for those who are in recovery and are trying to stick to a physical fitness regimen. That’s why you should consider finding room in your budget for either a fitness tracker or smartwatch. It’s helpful to understand the potential pros and cons of each option, so that you can find a wearable device that will fit your fitness needs and your budget. For example, fitness trackers have a longer battery charge but also tend to come with fewer features than smartwatches. Both types of wearable tech will provide the health metrics that can keep you motivated, but combining your new device with fitness apps can provide an even bigger boost for your routine. Lifewire’s recommended fitness apps can track your progress and provide valuable insight into your training and health goals, so you can focus on your recovery.
A Yoga Practice Can Provide Strength & Stress-Relief
There are many reasons to practice yoga during recovery, but consider opting for Iyengar yoga to enhance your recovery efforts. The benefits of Iyengar yoga are plentiful and include greater mobility and flexibility, improved muscle strength, and perhaps most importantly for recovering addicts, pain/stress relief and motivation to make other healthy lifestyle changes. If you need even more evidence that Iyengar yoga could help you unlock a calmer mind and stronger body during your addiction treatment, you can read through testimonials from actual Iyengar students who have practiced at our studio in Las Vegas. Aileen, teacher and owner of the B.K.S. Iyengar Center of Las Vegas taught recovering addicts at a recovery treatment center. With help from experienced and educated instructors, you can find more alignment in your body and mind, but it can also be helpful to maintain a home practice. So as you begin your journey through addiction treatment, consider setting up a home yoga space where you can take refuge from stress and triggers.
Physical Fitness Can Help Reduce Relapse Triggers
Now that you have tools for sticking with your physical fitness routine during recovery, it may help to understand why exercise can be so important. Aside from encouraging you to take better care of your body, which can discourage you from turning to drugs and alcohol, committing to a fitness routine can also prevent common relapse triggers from negatively affecting your sobriety. Those triggers can include stress and inadequate self-care habits, both of which can be improved via regular exercise. That’s why fitness and recovery tend to work so well together. With regular workouts and self-care routines, including yoga, you are taking back the control over your mind and body, and taking more control of your life.
Staying physically active can not only boost your recovery, it can also improve your quality of life. With regular exercise and self-care, you will have more tools for coping with the world around you, and you’ll gain more focus to stay sober.