FITNESS IN EARLY RECOVERY
Addiction is a treatable health condition. But, about 60% of people who seek help for a substance use disorder (SUD) will use drugs or alcohol again within a year. Researchers continue to search for new and effective ways to prevent relapse. Can-Am Interventions would like to better those odds and offer a proven tactic to avoid relapse and ensure healthy and ongoing recovery. There’s growing evidence that exercise can be a powerful tool in your recovery.
Benefits of Exercise
Experts think regular physical activity can act as a healthy stand-in for addictive substances. That’s because exercise and drugs of misuse work on similar parts of your brain. They both activate your reward pathway, which triggers the release of feel-good chemicals like serotonin and dopamine.
Regular exercise can help:
Curb cravings. You can get a really strong urge to use drugs when you try to avoid them. Exercise can distract you from cravings or make them less powerful.
Replace your triggers. A new exercise routine can give you something to do and build your social network. This might help you avoid people, places, or things that remind you of drugs.
Help you think clearly. Regular physical activity can help your mind work better. Your odds of relapse might go down when your thoughts are more stable.
Improve your sleep. If you struggle with addiction, it’s common to get insomnia when you try to avoid drugs or alcohol. Regular exercise might help you fall asleep faster and get better quality rest at night.
Boost your self-esteem and self-control. It’s easier to manage stressful stuff when you feel good about yourself.
Exercises That Can Help
Early research shows aerobic exercise and resistance training might help with addiction recovery. But right now, there’s not enough evidence to say that one kind of physical activity is better than another. Future studies should help us learn more.
Aerobic, or cardio, exercises get your heart rate up for a sustained period. That includes:
- Walking
- Running
- Swimming
- Boxing
- Hiking
- Light gardening
- Dancing
- Water aerobics
Resistance, or strength-training, exercises work your muscles. Examples include:
- Some kinds of yoga
- Weightlifting
- Push-ups or sit-ups
- Squats or lunges
- Heavy gardening, such as digging, landscaping
Set up an exercise routine early in your substance use treatment.
If you’re not sure where to start, talk to your doctor or substance use counselor about how to get active. You can also reach out to recovery groups in your area. They might have an exercise program you can join.
How Much Should You Exercise?
Experts don’t know what “dose” is the most helpful. Until we know more, you can aim for the same amount of physical activity as everyone else. That’s at least 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of intense exercise every week. Add strength-training twice a week.
Help?
Can-Am Interventions prides themselves on healthy means of recovery. Journaling, 12 step meetings, working with your sponsor, these are all fundamental to good and lasting recovery. Perhaps one of the most important factors of healthy recovery is regular exercise. This will help to release dopamine’s and other reward centers of the brain. Having healthy and consistent ways to aid your recovery is crucial to your success and regular exercise is a big part of that. If you or someone you care about is struggling with addiction, or in early recovery, we invite you to reach out to us. We are here to support you in any way, in all facets of your recovery. We look forward to the opportunity to help you!
E: patti.pike@canaminterventions.com W:www.canaminterventions.com
1-800-638-1812 Toll Free Internationally
415-827-3725 Cell /Text
415-578-2875 Office
