By Wan Eizzul Islam Wan Zulkifli
Exercise is not only good for overall health and fitness, but is also great for boosting mental well-being. It can also keep us calm during examination periods and by making us feel more energised and refreshed, we will be able to perform better in our studies.
Keeping active does not require a lot of time, effort or money. We do not have to pay for a gym membership or force ourselves to lift heavy weights to achieve a good state of mental well-being. It only takes a minimum of 150 minutes (two and a half hours) of moderate physical activity, such as fast walking or cycling, every week to make you feel better. If we are not interested in sports or exercise, we can still accomplish this by trying a new activity, such as dancing or martial arts. This can also be a great opportunity to make new friends.
When we exercise we notice several things. We breathe heavier and faster, our heart beats faster, our muscles burn and we sweat. These are the normal responses our body shows when we exercise. Not only does our body respond to exercise but also our brain. Exercise can help release necessary chemicals (endorphins) in our brain to relieve us from stress and anxiety. It can also help create new brain cells and boost decision making, higher thinking and learning. Other than physical and mental benefits, exercise can help improve our self-esteem and self-confidence by elevating a person’s perception of self-worth and attractiveness.
So before we start our midterm examinations, let us all start exercising and be more active during the week so that we can help not only our body but our mind as well. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
“The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer.”
Narrated by Muslim, 6774
Muslims should be strong both physically and mentally. They should be able to defend themselves from aggression and should be prepared to struggle in the path of Allah, should the occasion arise.
Here are some activities we as students can do on a daily basis to meet our weekly quota of exercise (without going to a fitness centre or gym):
- Walk to our lectures instead of driving or taking the bus
- Take the stairs rather than the lift
- If you have a bicycle, ride it to class or go for a ride with friends
- Go for a jog before or after lectures
- Join a sports team
- During the weekend, go out to the park with friends and kick a ball
- Buy or download an exercise DVD and share with friends/room-mates
Photo taken from Parade, Conde Nast