Recharge Your Body, Renew Your Energy
Simple, science-backed movements for writers, parents and professionals to stay energized and balanced
As we continue our Green Prescription series today, I want to remind you that this is a heartfelt offering to Substack writers, professionals and parents (pet and plant parents count!) who, like you, are navigating the many demands of daily life. Dr. Mariana Calleja Ross (She goes by Dr. Mariana!), with her deep expertise in health and wellness, is sharing these practical tips as part of her generous contribution to our community—a glimpse into the thoughtful guidance she offers through her Green Prescription Club.
We met earlier this morning for a prescription designed for our minds. And now, at midday, we’re focusing on the body. With all the time spent typing, attending meetings and juggling multiple roles, it’s easy to forget to take care of our physical selves. But just a few minutes of gentle movement can make all the difference, easing tension and helping you feel more energized.
This prescription is a simple but effective way to reset your body, ensuring you’re ready for whatever comes next. It’s a gift of well being from Dr. Mariana, tailored for you.
A Green Prescription For the Body
The body can run on auto-mode most of the time, especially when juggling busy schedules.
We push ourselves to perform at our peak performance, but why don’t we push ourselves to pause and recharge properly in between tasks? Often what I see is: the mind keeps running as best as it can, and so does the body…until one of them (or both) reach the burnout line.
This is what we want to prevent.
By engaging in a small physical activity throughout the day, we are making sure that the body gets rest from the adrenaline rush of a busy life (which will inherently help lower cortisol, the stress hormone).
How do we do it? By performing a small movement — not considered exercise but simply movement — to stimulate the joints, blood circulation and mild muscle toning. As a result, the brain also benefits. Whenever we engage in movement, the mind always relaxes. We want a no-brainer activity to help us decompress.
Sometimes “lazy” movements are more effective than a long nap
When you think of rest, what comes to mind? Most people tend to think that in order to rest they need a nap, which can be true! But moving the body in sometimes “lazy” ways can also give the body an even better rest. The soft movements I’ve outlined below will secrete relaxation hormones and healthy energisers into the bloodstream. And here are a few quick takeaways to help you pair this concept with the science!
This might surprise you, but exercising or doing simple physical movements can actually relax you more than a nap. (You can read about the science behind this here.)
When muscles are stimulated, they secrete certain hormones, while also sending signals to the brain to produce some other hormones (the happy hormones as mentioned). These incredible substances work magic in the body and the brain, helping balance all systems out — including emotions and most importantly, the stress hormones. Here's some more proof beautifully explained by the Mayo Clinic.
The Mental Health Foundation offers this easy perspective and resilient advice on how you can accomplish this in ways that are comfortable for you and your routine.
A few notes about these Green Prescriptions: They should always be a 5-minute routine at the most. We want frequency over intensity. Over time, your brain should enjoy the ease of these movements and start craving more. By doing these small, frequent movements, your muscles and joints will benefit while also giving them a chance to become part of your daily routine. All these tiny exercises can be a great starter to it, even if you’re using the weight of your own body.
Green Prescriptions To Choose From:
5-minute stretching
Taking a 1-minute walk every hour whenever working in front of the computer
60-second stress release routine (like my recent video)
Neck stretches
Simple plunges next to a work chair or at the parking lot while waiting for kids
Soft Yoga, Pilates or Tai Chi movements are great exercises to accomplish this, too
One More Green Prescription Is On the Way
Note from Amanda: Did you find the notion of micro movements throughout the day more accessible than big, elaborate ones? Even just the reminder to stretch my neck slowly from side to side was such a helpful moment of recentering. I hope you found something to incorporate into your busy day, too! Which one did you try? Tell us below.
And don’t forget, this evening Dr. Mariana has a special reflection and calming exercise to help you unwind and bring balance to the end of your day. Stay tuned!
Thank you! Nice reminders.