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Last week we discussed the many health benefits of walking. So this week we thought we’d share some great walking routes in and around the city of Newcastle Upon Tyne to get you feeling inspired to explore the great outdoors!
Ranging from easy to medium difficulty, and covering areas from Jesmond Dene to High Heaton, we’re sure there’s a walk in here to suit everyone’s taste. Enjoy!
Length: 2.13 miles
Difficulty: Easy
Length: 1.2 miles
Difficulty: Medium
Length: 3.14 miles
Difficulty: Medium
Length: 6.88 miles
Difficulty: Medium
Length: 7.72 miles
Difficulty: Medium
Length: 4.3 miles
Difficulty: Medium
Of course, when you’re out on a walk (especially when it’s hot) it’s always important to talk something to drink. For all the reasons why, take a look at our post on the importance of hydration.
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The myriad positive effects of exercise on general health and wellbeing have been well and widely documented over the years. From higher levels of happiness to lowered risk of disease, it’s no secret that exercise is one of the keys to a healthier life. And researchers are now finding positive links between exercise and memory function.
The best bit? According to studies, even relatively short, moderate bursts of exercise may improve memory function in the long run.
A study by UCI researchers Sabrina Segal, Carl Cotman, and Lawrence Cahill, shows promising results for the short-term impact of exercise on memory. The study took a group of 50-80 year olds, consisting of people with and without memory deficits, and presented them with a series of pleasant images. The participants then spent 6 minutes exercising on stationary bikes at 70% of their maximum capacity. An hour later the group was asked, without prior warning, to recall the images they’d seen earlier. The results displayed a “striking enhancement” of memory in both healthy and cognitively impaired participants.
Sabrina Segal said of the study, “We found that a single, short instance of moderately intense exercise particularly improved memory in individuals with memory deficits.”
These results are consolidated by more recent findings from researchers at UCI and the University of Tsukuba in Japan (https://news.uci.edu/2018/09/24/now-you-just-need-to-remember-to-exercise/). The good news is that their work indicates that it could be even easier for us to reap the cognitive rewards of exercise. According to the study, which consisted of 36 healthy young participants, just ten minutes of mild exertion can be beneficial to brain health. The researchers observed that shortly after exercising, there was greater connectivity between the hippocampal dentate gyrus and cortical areas (linked to detailed memory processing) of participants’ brains.
The project co-leader, Michael Yassa of UCI, said, “The hippocampus is critical for the creation of new memories; it’s one of the first regions of the brain to deteriorate as we get older – and much more severely in Alzheimer’s disease [. . .] Improving the function of the hippocampus holds much promise for improving memory in everyday settings.”
According to Yassa, even short walks may be effective in improving memory and cognition. And other forms of light exercise, such as yoga and tai chi, may also fit the bill for memory enhancement.
One study in particular, conducted by researchers of the University of Columbia, compared the cognitive effects of exercise in two groups of mice. The difference between the two groups was that one was given access to running wheels whilst the other wasn’t. The mice with the running wheels (as you can probably imagine) ran, whereas the others didn’t. The results were that after several weeks the brains of the running mice showed more evidence of new brain cells and increased blood flow in the memory-related brain area.
Studies like these are very encouraging, empowering us to take control of our health and wellbeing and keep ourselves in good shape well into old age.
For more on the many wonders of exercise, see 4 Great Benefits Of Running, Top 5 Health Benefits Of Regular Exercise, and Yin Yoga: A Slow Practise To Reduce Stress And Increase Flexibility.
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Yoga offers the best of many worlds, providing a little bit of something for everyone. It’s a mindful, stress-relieving, flexibility-enhancing, strength-building workout that anyone can participate in.
But why should you be doing it? Well, if you don’t already know your down dog from your cobra, here are 8 reasons to consider yoga for your next exercise pursuit!
1 – Yoga can decrease stress
All forms of physical exercise can help to lower stress levels. But yoga is particularly effective. Its combination of physical exertion, concentration, and focus on deep rhythmic breathing gives it myriad stress-busting properties.
The mental effort that goes into holding and perfecting each yoga pose also helps clear the mind. It’s a mindful activity which requires an active awareness of body and breath. And the focus you’ll put into maintaining this awareness can help to eliminate all other thoughts from your mind.
2 – It can also relieve anxiety
Studies have shown that yoga may contribute to relieving symptoms of anxiety. One particular study which focussed on woman suffering from anxiety revealed that those who participated in yoga classes showed a “significant decrease” in state anxiety and trait anxiety. The study’s conclusion suggested that “yoga can be considered as a complementary therapy or an alternative method for medical therapy in the treatment of anxiety disorders”.
3 – Improves flexibility
Age, inactivity, and extended periods of sitting all contribute to poor flexibility. As we get older, our bodies naturally become less supple. And in day-to-day life we’re rarely required to perform feats of extreme flexibility. So, over time, our joints become stiff and rigid.
Yoga, however, exposes us to movements that work underused areas of our bodies. This, in the long term, will help to loosen our joints, elongate our spines, make us more mobile, and increase our overall flexibility.
4 – Builds strength
Yoga is an amazing tool for building core strength. And core strength is important because it’s functional. Not only does it improve balance, but it helps us in performing daily tasks. From walking stairs to lifting boxes.
During yoga practise, many of the poses are held for extended periods of time. So we’re essentially performing a bodyweight exercise and an endurance exercise at the same time. In this way, practising yoga on a regular basis can help to improve our core strength.
5 – Corrects posture
Poor posture can cause many physical problems, from back and neck pains, joint issues and headaches, to poor digestion and improper breathing.
Because yoga elongates the spine, a natural side-effect is that it also improves posture. This is understandable considering that our spine is what keeps us upright. So fixing the spine = fixing posture.
In this way, yoga could be especially beneficial for office workers, or anyone who sits down for extended periods of time. This is because it can help to reverse the effects of slouching and sitting, and as a result relieve back and neck pains.
6 – Teaches better breathing
Proper breathing is such an important, yet often overlooked, component of good health and wellbeing. The problem is that many of us develop poor breathing patterns as a result of being stressed and overworked. When negative emotions abound, our breathing can become shallow and constricted. And if we experience lots of stress, all the time, our bodies will become accustomed to that kind of breathing.
Yoga, thankfully, encourages us to focus on our breath. And by focussing on the breath we can become more aware of bad habits and restrictive breathing patterns.
Yoga teaches us to take deep breaths and synchronise our inhalations and exhalations with our body movements. The benefits of proper breathing are manifold, and include pain relief, increased immunity, and detoxification. And regular yoga practise has been linked to improved lung function.
By learning to breathe properly, we can become more relaxed, healthier, and happier in our day-to-day lives.
You can take a look at some yogic breathing techniques here.
7 – Can improve quality of life
Yoga is also believed to improve overall life quality in those who practise it regularly. This could be particularly noticeable in senior citizens.
One study assigned 135 generally healthy seniors to one of three groups. One group participated in 6 months of yoga, one did 6 months of walking exercise, and one was a control group. The quality-of-life measures that the study focussed on related to sense of well-being, energy, and fatigue. And it concluded that the seniors “in the yoga group showed significant improvement in quality-of-life and physical measures compared to exercise and wait-list control groups”.
8 – Encourages better sleep
Yoga can offer an excellent path to better sleep. There are, of course, particular types of yoga that might be more suited to an evening routine (such as yin). But as a general practise, yoga is widely believed to promote healthier sleep.
When done with the specific intention of preparing for sleep, yoga can help us to slow down, focus on our breath, and enter a state of deep relaxation.
There are also some quick-fix bedtime yoga poses for those who may not have time for a longer pre-sleep class. Three go-to evening postures to try are: legs up the wall (if you have a spare 15 minutes you could also this excellent qi gong routine for better sleep, which features a ten-minute legs up the wall section), lying butterfly pose, and corpse pose.
Where’s the yoga, please?
So, is it time to get into the studio and onto the mat? Why not come along to Jesmond Pool, where we offer 2 classes a week, on Wednesdays and Fridays. For more information, visit our yoga class page.
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We all want to live happier and healthier lives. That’s why we join gyms, swim, run, and watch what we eat. But aside from the more popular activities that help to keep us active and youthful, there are some that can easily fall under the radar (but which are just as effective). Tai chi, though incredibly popular in the East, is one such activity.
Developed in 13th Century China as a martial art, it offers a gentle route to physical balance and health.
And here’s a secret: practising tai chi on a regular basis can not only improve your physical health but your psychological wellbeing too.
So here’s a brief overview of some of the reasons to consider adopting this wonderful exercise into your lifestyle.
Tai chi: the martial art for everyone
Due to its incredibly low-impact nature, tai chi is suitable for almost anyone. Young or old, active or inactive. Its movements are slow and subtle, and its focus is more on balance, flexibility, and wellbeing rather than aerobic fitness or strength.
That said, tai chi could be perfect for older exercisers. Especially those who haven’t engaged in any physical activity for a long time. It could also be great for anyone who wishes to become more active but, for whatever reason, is unable to participate in more strenuous activities.
As an exercise, it’s easy-going on the joints, and very laid back in terms of physical output.
Balance
Another fantastic benefit of tai chi is its ability to improve physical balance. The slow, controlled movements performed in this activity promote stability in the core. Also, the combination of leg and arm movements help to develop and improve coordination.
One major advantage to developing better balance is the reduced risk of falling that comes with it. As a result, it can also serve to build confidence, especially in elderly participants who may be more likely to suffer from trips and falls.
Posture
As a species, we do a lot of sitting. We sit down to eat our breakfast. We sit down to drive to work. Many of us sit at desks for 8 or more hours a day. Then we come home and sit down to eat dinner and watch TV. But research is now revealing the alarming and potentially catastrophic health risks associated with prolonged sitting.
Of the many negative side effects, one is bad posture. And a remedy for bad posture is tai chi.
Tai chi is heavily focussed on stance and movement. And in order to perform the movements correctly, you must first adopt the proper stance and hold the correct posture. So over time, practising tai chi may not only help to combat the negative effects of sitting, but may also improve your general posture. Also, tai chi can have you up and moving for an hour or two when you might otherwise have been at home sitting down.
Stress
Stress is a major issue in the modern world. And though it affects people throughout the world, it’s estimated that nearly half of British people suffer from long-term stress. We live faster, busier, more hectic lives today than ever before. And engaging in exercise to reduce stress and promote physiological harmony should be a top priority for all of us.
A popular reason for practising tai chi is its inherent stress-reducing qualities. Its mellow nature, along with the required deep breathing and rhythmic movements, can induce feelings of relaxation and wellbeing. In some ways, it can be seen as a moving form of meditation.
This makes tai chi a perfect candidate for a post-work de-stressing ritual. It provides a drastic shift in pace, encouraging us to go slow and be mindful of ourselves.
Strength
In an article from Harvard Medical School, tai chi can improve both lower- and upper-body strength. And if practised on a regular basis, “tai chi can be comparable to resistance training and brisk walking”.
The unsupported arm movements involved in tai chi postures help to strengthen the arms, and the forms in general can build core and lower-body strength.
Arthritis
According to a study by researchers at the Tufts School of Medicine, tai chi can produce the same benefits as physical therapy for people suffering from knee osteoarthritis. The average participant was 60 years old, and many were obese. The patients were randomly assigned to two different groups. One group would practise tai chi twice a week for twelve weeks; and the other would undergo physical therapy twice a week for six weeks, and then do six weeks of exercise at home. At the end of the 12 weeks both groups reported “equal improvement in pain and related health outcomes”.
Get practising!
So, if it sounds like your kind of activity, or if you’re just curious to learn more, why not follow along with one of these 8 tai chi and qi gong routines with local Tai Chi instructor Sifu Paul Nathan.
For most of us right now, the scope of our day-to-day reality has been drastically reduced to the four walls of our homes. And whilst this is a necessary measure in light of the current situation, it poses some real concerns for the state of many people’s mental health.
Being confined to our homes for an extended period of time can be very challenging — not only physically but mentally. So it’s incredibly important that we all take the time to nurture and protect our mental health whilst we see this period of self-isolation through.
With this in mind, we thought we’d share a few tips on keeping mentally healthy and happy whilst housebound. We hope they can be of some use.
Exercise
Keeping active is absolutely essential for remaining both physically and mentally healthy. This is of course true in normal circumstances, but at present it’s more important than ever.
Not only does exercise provide us with a regular routine to follow, but it can drastically help to increase and maintain a healthy mental state.
HelpGuide says that regular exercise “relieves stress, improves memory, helps you sleep better, and boosts your overall mood”.
And, according to mentalhealth.org.uk, “Participation in regular physical activity can increase our self-esteem and can reduce stress and anxiety. It also plays a role in preventing the development of mental health problems and in improving the quality of life of people experiencing mental health problems”.
For some inspiration, take a look at these 10 workouts you can perform from home without any equipment.
Meditate
By now the positive benefits of meditation have been widely documented. But suffice to say that meditating on a regular basis is a very effective method for keeping emotionally and mentally balanced.
It can be especially helpful for creating mental space — offering a place of silence and stillness when we’re otherwise overwhelmed by news feeds, social media, and other forms of external stimulus.
We’re currently living through times of extreme anxiety and uncertainty. So, for many of us, engaging with activities like meditation is more important and necessary than ever before.
But we’ve covered this topic in a little more depth in a previous post. So if you’d like to read more about meditation and how it can be of huge benefit to both your mental and physical health, see here.
Keep your mind stimulated
Boredom presents a big risk when it comes to our mental health during self-isolation. Having nothing to do can contribute to a general sense of unease, discomfort, and anxiety. And being unoccupied makes us more likely to overthink things and fall into negative mental spirals.
On Mind’s coronavirus advice page, they recommended solving puzzles, reading books, watching films, and listening to podcasts in order to keep occupied. They also suggest learning new skills or taking an online course. OpenLearn and FutureLearn are two excellent resources for finding free courses. Or, if you’re interested in learning a new language, you could try Duolingo.
Connect with friends and family
Humans are social by nature, which means social distancing doesn’t come naturally to many of us. We all enjoy spending time with family and friends, and though most of us are currently isolated from our social circles, being unable to meet face-to-face doesn’t mean we can’t spend time with the people we care about.
We’re lucky to live in such an intimately connected world. Nowadays it’s easy for even the most technophobic of us to make video calls and send voice messages. So it’s both important and feasible to keep in touch with those we’d normally see on a regular basis.
If you have friends you’d usually meet with once a week for a coffee, arrange a group video call instead. You can still drink coffee and chat together, but from the comfort of your own homes.
You could even go old school and write a letter to a friend you haven’t contacted for a while. This also has a 2-for-1 benefit: you can keep your mind active by writing and reconnect with a distant friend at the same time.
More resources
For more information and advice on the upkeep of mental health during this difficult time, there are some excellent articles by Time, Mind, Mental Health Foundation, and the BBC.
Volunteering is a great thing to do with our spare time. It’s fun, fulfilling, and rewarding. And with more than one in five people reporting that they volunteer at least once a month, it’s something that lots of us are doing.
But beyond all the obvious reasons, why exactly should you volunteer? Well, there are lots of advantages to giving our time to a worthy cause, both for ourselves and the community in general. And though we won’t cover them all today, here are 5 benefits of volunteering that show what a truly worthy pursuit it is. . .
Volunteering develops new skills
Volunteering presents amazing opportunities to learn new skills in easygoing and informal environments.
In voluntary positions, due to the lack of financial incentive, there’s often no performance-based pressure whatsoever. This creates a completely safe environment in which to explore new skills and creative pursuits without fear of judgement.
Helps build experience
Aside from allowing you to learn new skills from scratch, volunteering also lets you develop existing skills in order to build experience.
Volunteering can give your CV an enormous boost. But it’s also a fun and rewarding way to simply build on skills that you’d like to develop.
Makes you feel connected to a cause
It’s incredibly important that we feel connected to something bigger than ourselves. It gives us a sense of perspective and purpose, and can really add a lot of extra meaning to our lives.
Volunteering allows us to get out into our communities and really make an impact. And by helping out in even the smallest ways we can come to feel more connected to our towns, cities, and neighbours.
Helps you make friends and expand your network
You’ll meet all sorts of people through volunteering. Some of them might turn into lifelong friends, and others could become valuable contacts who may even help you progress in your career.
It’s especially powerful if you’re new to an area. By volunteering in an unfamiliar place, not only will you meet locals and make friends, but you’ll feel immediately connected to your new location and its residents.
It’s is good for the mind
Volunteering can be an incredibly effective antidote to stress and anxiety. It can help take your mind off your current worries by forcing you to focus on something completely different. And due to the selfless nature of most voluntary positions, they offer a unique and profoundly effective way of getting out of our heads for a little while.
On top of this, learning and applying new skills through volunteering can help to keep our brains active and curious. And volunteering with animals could be especially effective when it comes to mental wellbeing.
What’s more, you might even find that after volunteering for a short while you’ll start to feel more self-confident.
Get involved!
There are lots of ways to get involved and volunteer in your local community. For general positions you can check out do-it.org, where you’ll find a huge variety of positions in all sorts of areas.
