Want to feel more grounded and centered? Mind-body exercises could help. Here’s everything you need to know about mind-body exercises and what the experts say about their effectiveness

If you have a packed schedule everyday, you might be the type to multi-task even while exercising. This could mean absentmindedly doing your squats while watching a lecture for school, or running on the treadmill with your book propped up. If so, know that this isn’t doing you any favors.

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While managing to squeeze in some physical activity in any way, shape, or form is commendable, exercising while in a distracted or stressed-out state can actually hamper the physical progress you’re making. This is because there’s not enough of a mind-to-body connection to make sure you’re working out the right muscle groups properly. So not only are you letting your performance suffer, you’re risking injury, too, especially if there’s equipment involved. It’s not a great feeling either to be constantly overthinking even during your me-time.

Now, what should you actually do? We suggest multi-tasking fitness with wellness instead. The best way to do this is by doing mind-body exercises.

Mind-body exercises are different from traditional physical exercises since these are multicomponent exercises that mix body movement sequences, breathing control, and attention regulation, with the goal being to improve overall physical and mental health. Prime examples of mind-body exercises include yoga, pilates, qigong, and tai chi.

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While the same could be said of physical activity’s benefits in general, mind-body exercises are a more mindful way to practice fitness since they’re meditative, too, and can ultimately leave you feeling more healthy when you’re done. And that’s not just us saying that.

What the experts say

Mind-body exercises are frequently used as interventions for psychological distress, as a 2023 review mentioned. Besides being a great approach to wellness for generally healthy people, systematic reviews also found that mind-body exercises can help improve physical fitness, fatigue, sleep quality, BMI, anxiety, and depression among cancer survivors and COPD patients.

Evidence also suggests that mind-body exercises can effectively improve blood pressure in individuals with a substance abuse disorder as well as middle-aged and elderly patients with hypertension.

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Likewise, mind-body exercises are known to be helpful for older adults as doing these can help mitigate symptoms of depression and improve other psychological health domains such as quality of life, fear of falling, and sleep quality. Studies also show that these types of exercises can help reduce the risk of late-life mental disorders.

Final takeaway

Results will ultimately vary from person to person but the evidence so far is promising. If nothing else, you’ll feel so much more grounded and centered if you do at least one mind-body exercise for 30 minutes everyday.

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So, what are you waiting for? Carve out some time in your busy schedule for pilates or outdoor tai chi. We promise you won’t regret it in the long term.