Mindfulness through exercise

[Stick]

Today I exercised after for the first time in a couple of weeks. Immediately after exercising, I started meditating and the results were really good. Like really really good. I did not have much distracting thoughts. And the ones I did had, I was easily able to let go of. I normally cant achieve this level of awareness even meditating after a breathwork session. Does anyone have some insight to why this happens? Is there something better I can do before meditation to increase its effectiveness?

[Carl-Richard]

Endorphins and other neurochemicals make you less volatile and more present. Increased blood flow, decreased heart rate, lower blood pressure. Essentially working out is a source of vital energy, it's the basis of your physical existence. If you don't use your body, you deterioate as a physical being, and your physical being is linked to your mental being.

If it's particularly high intensity training, you also pump a lot of lactate into your brain which is used as an energy source and has especially stimulating neurotransmitter properties, and noradrenaline which increases alertness. BDNF is released which is involved in neuronal growth and plasiticity. High intensity training is arguably the #1 brain health intervention after sleep.

Edited 2 hours ago by Carl-Richard