You already know exercise is essential to a wellness routine, but you may not understand why it benefits those with a rare disease diagnosis.
Research continues to confirm that lifestyle changes—healthy diet, regular exercise, and smoking cessation—create long-term change. But with a rare disease diagnosis where there is much uncertainty about cures or treatment plans, lifestyle modifications may be a patient’s best shot at achieving a quality of life as close to normal as possible.
Find out how incorporating movement can increase the quality of life as a rare disease patient.
Movement is Medicine
When you exercise and move your body, the brain releases feel-good chemical messengers (neurotransmitters) such as endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin. Because of this, exercise is a powerful tool to support mental health. Research shows that 30 minutes of moderate exercise three days a week can improve mental health outcomes.
Regular movement can improve your psychological and physical fitness, but it also acts as an antidote to stress and improves your immune system, cognitive function, and sleep quality.
A study published in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Review found that higher levels of physical activity significantly reduced the risk of depression and notably decreased incidents of anxiety.
How to Get Moving
Exercise is not synonymous with strenuous gym workouts or aerobic group classes. Living with a rare disease makes exercising look and feel different. Here are a few ideas to get moving that are considered safe for most rare disease patients. Always consult with your physician or healthcare provider before beginning any new exercise.
- Get your heart pumping. Anything that causes you to breathe even just a little harder is considered cardiovascular exercise. Low-impact cardio activities you could do include walking, dancing, pushing a grocery cart, or swimming laps in a pool.
- Aim to stand more and sit less. Finding moments throughout your day to stand more can be a great way to build up your physical activity. Studies show that spending more time on your feet can lower blood sugar levels and heart disease risk.
- Add strength exercises. Strength training has many health benefits. From improving bone health, balance, and flexibility to reducing the risk of chronic conditions and managing weight—strength training is a low-impact movement option for rare disease patients.
- Can I do strength training without equipment?
- Resistance bands are an accessible tool for strength training and come in various levels. But you don’t need any equipment to increase your strength! You can use household items like soup cans or focus on isometric exercises (tightening and contracting a specific muscle) like holding a push-up position.
Remember, any movement, when done consistently, and accumulated throughout your day can be considered exercise and improve your well-being. Even walking to the mailbox, doing household chores, or marching in place count!
