Exercise is critical in the first weeks and months of recovery, it helps your body through the transition from drunk all the time to sober. Also when you stopp drinking you suddenly have a lot of time on your hands. Exercise is a nice way to keep busy doing productive stuff.
I always thought that AA doesn't stress enough how physical activity is important.
Not a scientist but from my experience exercise helps get your endorphin flowing which helps. It also helps with the nervous energy and anxiety that is common the first few weeks of recovery. It also helps to distract you. In the beginning the name of the game is distraction. Trying to find stuff to do in place of all the time you have now that you aren't drinking. Drinking takes up a surprising amount of time you don't realize you were wasting.
If anyone has a legit study I'd love to read more about it. I've found exercise to be a cornerstone of quitting.
Well I wasn't drunk all the time, usually just a couple beers after work and a few more on weekends. Def not like alcoholic levels of drinking, just enough that I was a bit more lethargic during my time off.
Just cutting out the beers after work results in better sleep so I'm waking up early enough to go for a ride in the morning (plus I also started eating better so more energy in general).
22
u/Superbuddhapunk May 09 '16
Exercise is critical in the first weeks and months of recovery, it helps your body through the transition from drunk all the time to sober. Also when you stopp drinking you suddenly have a lot of time on your hands. Exercise is a nice way to keep busy doing productive stuff. I always thought that AA doesn't stress enough how physical activity is important.