It’s the most wonderful time of the year but let’s face it, it’s also the most stressful time of the year. With holiday parties, cookie swaps, family visiting, cooking, cleaning, and gift shopping, you can find yourself overwhelmed. What if we told you that not only is it possible to add exercise into the mix, but doing so will help to improve your health and mood during this hectic time of the year? Intrigued? See how just 10 minutes of exercise can improve your holidays.

Health Benefits of 10-Minute Workouts:

Control of Blood Sugar Levels

Research shows that short periods of exercise, like 10 minutes, may lower your risk of diabetes and allow for more control of blood sugar levels. This is great news considering all the sweets we are about to indulge in.

Improves Mood and Focus

One study has found that participants who completed 10 minutes of running showed immediate improvements to their mood and executive function. Not a big runner? No worries! According to David Linden, PHD, there is nothing special about running. Any aerobic exercise has anti-depressive effects for people of all ages and helps reduce cognitive decline. Learn more about how exercise can benefit your mental and emotional health, here.

Reduce Stress

Physical activity reduces the risk of depression, making us happier with more energy. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that being active can also reduce stress. If we’re stressed, being active can remove us from the overwhelming situation. On a physiological level, in addition to raising endorphins, physical activity can lower overall cortisol levels, which are associated with higher stress.

How To Get Moving:

Getting your 10-minute workout in is much easier than you think. Own a stationary bike, treadmill, elliptical or rower? Hop on with your favorite music playlist or podcast and the 10 minutes will be up before you know it. Traveling somewhere warm this holiday season? Take a 10-minute walk around the block by yourself or with a furry friend. Plus, there are a handful of added benefits to being outside such as improving mood, boosting your immune system and increasing blood circulation. Live somewhere cold, no worries! You can incorporate exercise while cooking/baking, watching holiday movies or catching up with a friend by setting a timer at 10 random times and doing squats or lunges in 1-minute intervals.

Holly Jolly 10- Minute Workout:

Looking for something a bit more structured? Healthtrax has put together this quick 10-minute holly jolly workout session for you to do anywhere, anytime.

Complete two sets of these exercises for 1 minute each to complete an effective holiday workout. Your body and mind will thank you.

• Jingle Bell Burpees

• Holly High Knees

• Snowflake Squats

• Peppermint Plank

• Sugarplum Sit-ups

Here at Healthtrax, located in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, and Rhode Island, we help you keep the fit in fitmas. We want to help you be the best version of yourself. We offer group fitness, personal training, team training, physical therapy, court sports and aquatics at select locations to fit all of your unique exercise needs. Healthtrax has also launched a new mobile app to help you sign up for in person or virtual classes, live streamed fitness classes and access our on-demand exercise video library. Become a Healthtrax member today to start sleighing workouts.

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