How Working Out Helps Me as a Person With Cerebral Palsy

I believe a good physical workout can be a great way to help any physical and emotional pain you are going through. I say this firsthand because this has worked many times in my life. Working out has helped me in so many ways. Working out and physical exercise can help you as person with cerebral palsy in many ways. Whether you have cerebral palsy or not, I believe working out is truly the best medicine.

Exercise can improve both our emotions/mental health and our physical being. When you work out you can do things for your overall health such as reduce your risk of health issues. In my case, I have cerebral palsy and working out a little every day will keep my CP in check and my weaker parts stronger. Another good reason to work out is to maintain a healthy weight. It can also help you be happier because when you work out you’re letting off endorphins, a group of hormones secreted within the brain and nervous system. They are peptides that activate that body’s opiate receptors, causing an analgesic effect. It can also help with brain health, such as memory loss, your energy level, and other health related issues.

Think of your body as your home. When you’re working out, it may feel like you’re cleaning your house from the attic to the basement and everything in between. Let’s start with the attic — your brain. You can clean by simply doing a workout, taking a walk, reading or doing something that doesn’t put stress on your mind.  Then go down to the main floor — your trunk and your limbs. When you do your strength training, you are toning up these areas just like when you vacuum and polish your house. Yes, it may help you look good on the outside, but it’s also about you feeling good inside, which radiates to your outside appearance. It’s like when you get the outside of your
house ready for summer by planting flowers.

As for getting down to your basement, that’s when you are fully working on your emotional health. When you look deep in yourself, see what you need to change to make you a better person. This part can be hard due to the
fact emotions are hard to hard to deal with for many people. I know from my experience, this kind of workout can put so much more stress on you then a physical workout. I know when I look on past chapters in my life I still feel drained from all the emotions that chapter brings up. Some of the tools I have used to get through the emotional workout are to go see a LSW, write down what I feel and put things in a box to be looked at later. See, I made it through that time, I know I can make it this time!

By working out these parts of yourself, you can become a better person. Humans need to be cleaned a little every day just like our houses, A 30 min physical and emotional workout can make you feel like a much healthier, well-rounded person. I believe you will feel so much more different and healthier then you ever realized you could be.

Don’t get me wrong, medication is good too if that truly works for you. For example, I wouldn’t make it through the day without my CP or my depression medicine. I may not be fully me without medicine in pill form, but the more
I physically work out, the more it helps my whole being.

I believe everyone should try to work out. It has so many benefits for your mental and emotional health. If you live with cerebral palsy, it can help the weaker parts of your body get stronger.  Even if you think working out might not be for you, try it anyway, because you really won’t know if you don’t try, right? So go out there and have fun. Grab your workout buddies and get moving!

Happy working out!