The body is the regulator of the mind.

Translated by AI

When experiencing a low mood, people often receive recommendations to engage in activities like exercise, going for walks, getting massages, or trying deep breathing… These actions can facilitate mood shifts, particularly when emotions are obstructed and unable to flow. These bodily activities act like an activation switch, stimulating the flow of stagnant internal energy and triggering a transformative process for troubling and trapped emotional states.

Humans: More Than Mere Physical Bodies

A "human" signifies a comprehensive entity comprised of the physical body and the mind-spirit unity, often referred to as the "mind." Each component influences the other, forming the concept of the "whole person." Through this concept, the body is no longer solely a tool for physical actions or a vessel for emotions; it opens up numerous possibilities. Without resorting to spiritual healing techniques or incurring high costs, individuals can use physical practices to alter their mindset. This holistic living approach encourages attention to a harmonious state of unity between body and mind, viewing them as cooperative teammates supporting and regulating one another. This mutual adjustment mechanism introduces greater flexibility into the health of the body, mind, and spirit.

Presented below are three common and easily accessible physical activities that aid in mood transformation in daily life.

Calming Emotions Through Touch

Massage involves various touch intensities, such as the focused pressure on meridians and acupoints in shiatsu, gentle and slow strokes targeting the lymphatic system in Swedish massage, and muscle-relaxation techniques in deep-tissue massage. Irrespective of the method, each touching style aids in stabilizing one's emotional state. As the body's largest sensory organ, the skin perceives different pressures. Even the gentlest touch is detected by tactile receptors in the skin and processed by the brain, chiefly connecting with the parasympathetic nervous system to aid in relaxation and rest. Many parents learn infant massage to strengthen bonds through skin contact, increasing infants' sense of security—this applies equally to adults, offering stability through touch.

Varying pressures and touch rhythms can elicit different psychological responses. During anxiety, agitation, or sadness, gentle and slow touch calms both mind and body, whereas firm and swift touch can revitalize low spirits during exhaustion or empowerment lapses.

If time constraints hinder massage, visualization exercises paired with self-touch can be employed. For instance, to encourage oneself or affirm "you did well," simply close your eyes and imagine touching your head or patting your shoulder, simultaneously executing these actions can bring mental clarity.

(The Butterfly Hug Method)

Aerobic Exercise Promotes Release of Joy-Inducing Substances – Endorphins and Dopamine

During agitation, anger, anxiety, or heightened emotions, muscle tension persists and depletes the body's oxygen levels, leading to conditions such as chest tightness, restlessness, and palpitations. Most organs can endure hypoxia, but the brain cannot. When deprived of oxygen, it compensates by utilizing carbohydrates as an energy source, producing carbon dioxide and making the body acidic, causing fatigue, reducing mental resilience, and diminishing regulatory capacity. Increasing the body's oxygen levels can alleviate mental fatigue.

Aerobic exercise focuses on oxygen consumption, enhancing cardiorespiratory functioning, deepening breath, and providing the body with increased oxygen, improving distribution efficiency, and creating a positive cycle. Consistent aerobic exercises trigger the release of endorphins and dopamine—endorphins alleviate pain and elevate mood, while dopamine generates hopefulness and positivity. Cultivating an exercise routine fosters optimism, enhances sleep quality, and renews vigor in body and mind.

Breathing: The Body's Built-in Metronome

Everyone breathes automatically without conscious effort or thought, often forgetting the potential to regain control over the breathing rhythm to adjust bodily cadence and tempo. Recall how breath becomes rapid and shallow during anger, tension, or anxiety, while remaining slow and deep during calm and relaxation? Breathing rhythm is impacted by mood, and similarly, we can tweak our breathing to enhance our mood. To recalibrate emotions, endeavor to breathe slowly, ensuring depth and length, quietly identifying the comforting rhythm, and maintaining that quality.

Breathing can also enhance the body's oxygen supply akin to aerobic exercise, albeit in a static manner. In constrained energy or time situations, prioritizing good breathing habits offers a versatile transformation technique unrestricted by time or space. Simply closing one's eyes for a few moments assists in harmonizing body-mind states. The currently popular 4-7-8 breathing technique—inhale through the nose for four seconds, hold breath for seven seconds, exhale through the mouth for eight seconds—helps to moderate stress, decelerate body rhythm, and improve sleep quality.

Whether one chooses physical activities to recover mental health, always remember the holistic paradigm of "mind-body unity." Physical engagements do not merely bolster endurance or boost physical health; they influence mental perspectives, facilitating cognitive reevaluation. When emotions feel constrained, remember to start with movement, from simple outdoor strolls to massage, exercise, or breathing, ultimately finding the heart's remedy.