What Role Does Exercise Play in Florida Drug Rehab?

Florida drug rehab is not just about leaving addictive substances behind. It is more about rebuilding a healthy body and mind. Exercise is an important part of that.

Recovery takes time. It also takes a healthy body. Chances are that physical and mental health, as well as good nutrition, have not been at the forefront of your mind for months or even years. Starting now, that can change for the better.

How Does Exercise Support Treatment Initiatives and Recovery?

People entering addiction treatment undergo an extreme lifestyle switch. The environment is clean, safe, and comfortable. Someone always has your back. Everyone around you cares about your well being. There is plenty of good, nutritious food and access to many different types of exercise.

This new environment helps you learn healthy structure. Structure helps keep decisionmaking simple with fewer opportunities to slip up and fall into relapse.

In a Frontiers in Psychiatry study published on the National Institutes of Health, researchers from several American universities found that exercise not only improves physical health, it also reduces the likelihood of using drugs. Moreover, in many patients studied, the neurobiological effects of exercise served “as an alternative, non-drug reinforcer.” These are some of their findings:

• Every level of exercise has a positive effect in treatment compared to no physical activity.
• Exercise benefits both men and women, although certain types of exercise benefit men and women to a greater or lesser degree.
• The sooner exercise is introduced in treatment, the more neurobiological benefits the patient can expect.
• Exercise is “likely to have beneficial effects” in drug addiction patients who have lived chronically inactive lives.
• Physical activity not only works in recovery, it works as a preventative.

What Kinds of Exercise Opportunities Can You Expect?

Depending on the Florida drug rehab center in question, residential patients may have access to a wide range of physical activity options ranging from walking and running to structured exercise classes. Swimming is another popular choice.

These are just a few of the ways to get exercise in treatment:

• Spinning/stationary biking
• Treadmill walking or running
• Walking or running outdoors
• Stair climbing
• Resistance training
• Swimming laps
• Cardio classes
• Yoga and guided meditation

What Special Benefits Does Yoga Offer?

All reasonable exercise is healthy, but yoga has benefits that go beyond stress reduction and physical conditioning. Yoga not only strengthens the body, it helps clear and focus the mind and reinforces the mind-body connection. It also helps you shift your manner of thinking naturally.

According to Yoga Journal, the intimidation factor that sometimes accompanies the idea of yoga is much less intense in treatment. Most drug rehab programs offer yoga classes, and most classes have levels that are approachable for people who have abused and neglected their bodies and minds for a long time.

Yoga teaches addicted people to rely on something natural and healthy instead of turning to dangerous, addictive substances. Where drugs were once the easiest way to escape or handle stress, yoga and meditation teach simple, effective skills for handling stress and avoiding relapse while making the body and mind healthier.

Physical exertion is good on so many different levels. It helps the body purge toxins as well as negative thoughts. It helps strengthen muscles and develop a stronger, healthier mind. It can improve the appetite and help patients in recovery re-learn healthy sleep patterns. Exercise is just one of numerous therapies offered in rehab that make up an effective, personalized treatment program.

If you or any of your loved ones are battling an addiction, there is no reason to go it alone. Contact us today and learn about healthy, safe methods for getting clean and sober and staying that way for life.