What Is Exercise Therapy?

Exercise therapy is becoming a more common option for people in addiction treatment. Practicing a regular exercise regimen has always been a suggestion for people in recovery, alongside other healthy habits like getting enough sleep, practicing self-care, and eating balanced meals. However, exercise therapy is more specialized than just doing workouts a few times a week. How it looks in practice can take on many forms. Its ultimate purpose is to provide symptom relief and support the overall recovery journey for people seeking lasting sobriety. Contact 833.551.2304 to learn more about the exercise therapy program at Gulf Breeze Recovery.

What Is Exercise Therapy?

Exercise therapy is a wide bucket that contains several more specific types of exercise that can be mixed and matched. Some of the most common activities included in an exercise therapy program are the following:

• Yoga – This is a prevalent element of exercise therapy for addiction recovery. Yoga is beneficial physically and mentally, making it a natural match for addiction treatment. The exact type of yoga depends on a person’s needs since yoga is flexible enough to be demanding and strength-building or more relaxing and restorative, as the situation indicates.
• Hiking or walking – Many addiction treatment providers make a point to offer outdoor activities and access to nature for their clients. That serves a twofold purpose: the opportunity to exercise through hiking or walking and the benefits of green space to boost emotional well-being. Research even points to as little as a 15-minute walk being an excellent way to stave off drug cravings.
• Strength training – Sleep issues are common among people in recovery. Consistent weight training is actually a helpful way to restore the body’s sleep schedule and get people back to experiencing healthy sleep each night.
• Team sports – Relationships are essential during recovery. Team sports are a great way to combine exercise with relationship-building. They also help develop communication and interpersonal skills that are helpful to the long-term recovery process. Being an athlete is not required for exercise therapy, which holds true here. Team sports is a broad enough category that there is something that can appeal to any person.

Exercise therapy is a set of planned physical activities to accomplish one or more therapeutic goals. This therapy offers many benefits, such as improved coordination and physical function, better mental and emotional health, decreased stress, better sleep, and a potential medication reduction.

Benefits of Exercise Therapy

Exercise therapy offers people many benefits, as was outlined earlier. But it’s worth digging into exactly why exercise therapy is often so helpful for people. First, the benefits tend to accrue rather quickly. It doesn’t take long before people notice exercise therapy’s impact. In addition, exercise therapy is kind of like an antidepressant. It boosts mood, reduces anxiety, and helps the body regulate breathing and blood pressure.

Exercise therapy is also helpful during addiction recovery because it helps the brain balance chemicals like dopamine and serotonin. Both of those are often disrupted by drug use. Restoring their proper balance is imperative for long-term mental and emotional well-being. Moreover, exercise is a great way to prevent relapse. Stress and boredom are both primary relapse triggers that exercise does away with quickly since it relieves stress and helps people stay active and engaged in productive activity.

Find an Exercise Therapy Program in Florida at Gulf Breeze Recovery

You may wonder, “How do I find an exercise therapy program near me?” Exercise therapy programs are typically offered through addiction treatment providers as one component of a more comprehensive treatment plan. That is true at Gulf Breeze Recovery, where clients can experience exercise therapy alongside behavioral therapies, support groups, recovery resources, educational workshops, and more. Finding an exercise program near you is as easy as contacting Gulf Breeze Recovery today at 833.551.2304.