This activity may help ‘unlock the positive benefits’ of exercise

Want to feel more fit and happy? Combine regular physical exercise with mindful meditation, British researchers say.

The researchers looked at 35 medical trials involving physical activity and mindfulness. They found that this combination, rather than doing only one of the two, proved most effective at boosting mood and improving health and well-being.

“Mindfulness is an approach that can help us ‘train up’ the psychological strengths we need to exercise and be more in tune with our bodies, as well as make exercising more interesting and help us recognize its benefits,” said study author Masha Remskar, an expert in behavior change, mindfulness and exercise based at the University of Bath.

“This may be because becoming more mindful prompts us to think differently about our lifestyle, makes us more accepting and less judgmental of our own shortcomings, which can help to build healthy habits. There is a huge potential to use mindfulness to unlock the positive benefits exercise can bring.”

The study was published online in the journal Mental Health and Physical Activity.