[HSP/Introvert] Disliking exercise was a 'brain trait.' The 'mind-protecting' reward stretches that science teaches us

Doesn't the phrase 'I have to exercise' feel like a modern-day curse?

Even though your brain has replayed 'it's good for your body' a million times, your sofa is generating a powerful gravitational pull, and your social media timeline is infinitely scrollable.

And by the time the day ends,

'Ah, I couldn't do it again today...' a small prick of guilt stabs at your heart.

What if that 'heaviness' you're feeling is actually a sign from your mind and body desperately saying, 'Please let me rest for a bit'?

What if exercise could change from a 'punishment game you have to do' into the 'ultimate reward for pampering yourself'? Wouldn't you want to know a little more about that?

[To accompany this article: Recommended books & Audible PR]

📚 'Atomic Habits' (by James Clear)

It is written so concretely that it shows you how to move yourself through 'systems' rather than relying on 'willpower'.

The way of thinking about 'systems for continuing' that I discuss in this article was heavily inspired by this book. It's a must-read for those who tend to blame themselves.

🎧 Amazon Audible(Audible)

I use it too, and it's the best for inputting information by 'listening while doing' things like stretching or taking a walk.

Even on days when I don't have the energy to read text, information slips right in through my ears.

You can try it for free for the first 30 days, so once you finish reading this article, please try listening to 'Atomic Habits'.

1. The truth behind 'I have to exercise' wasn't a lack of willpower

Those 10 minutes before starting a home workout.

'Ugh, why do I have to do something so exhausting now...' That time spent feeling uneasy with a smartphone in hand. For me, it was the longest 10 minutes of the day.

Have you ever had an experience like this?

Even though I perfectly understand in my head that 'exercise is good for the body,'
my body enters 'absolute refusal mode.'

For many years, I was convinced this was due to my own weak willpower or
my habit of being lazy.

However, psychology and brain science suggest otherwise.

It turns out that the 'exhaustion' we feel is not a matter of motivation, but a more deep-seated issue of 'brain energy allocation.'

In particular, people who are sensitive to changes in their surroundings or have a temperament that leads them to think deeply have their sensory antennas running at full capacity at all times.

The noise in the office that normal people don't notice, the slight changes in someone's facial expression, the vast amount of information flowing from social media...

Because we unconsciously catch and process all of that, by the time the day ends, our brain's battery is often completely drained.

In that state, even if you try to get motivated by saying, 'Alright, time to exercise!', your brain will sound an alarm with all its might, saying, 'Wait! I've had enough stimulation! Energy levels are at zero!'

This is the true identity of that intense feeling of 'it's such a hassle.'

It is not a desire to be lazy, but rather an SOS signal from your mind and body saying, 'I am out of energy. Please recharge now.'

2. From punishment to reward. The '5-minute stretch' hack

Even if you know the cause, you still want to resolve your lack of exercise.

That is where I arrived at a slightly cunning approach: secretly swapping the goal of exercise from 'getting tired' to 'taking care of the brain.'

The ultimate method for this is the '5-minute reward stretch before bed.'

This is an extremely scientific method that aligns with the control of the autonomic nervous system through breathing, as advocated by Stanford neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman.

Without getting into complicated talk, there is one key point.

The brain, which was in combat mode (sympathetic nervous system dominant) due to the day's stimuli, will mistakenly think,
'Oh, the battle is over. Let's enter sleep mode.'

This sensation is incredibly interesting.

[Super easy! How to start reward stretches that your brain will love]

There is no need to sweat or count repetitions.

Just give yourself a 5-minute gift of 'feeling good' for your own sake today.

This is no longer about exercise, but about starting with a self-massage you can give yourself at the end of the day.

3. What we really need to build is a 'system to keep going' rather than 'muscles'

Once reward stretching becomes a part of your daily life

I think you will have acquired a habit of taking care of yourself.

If you feel like you want to do a little more, let's move on to the next stage. But even here, you must never push yourself too hard.

Squats: start with 'one while brushing your teeth' instead of '10 reps'

When you get fired up saying 'I'm going to work out!', your brain sounds the alarm again.
That's why you start small, so small that your brain doesn't even notice.

For example, 'While brushing your teeth, put your hands on the sink and do just one slow squat.'

A good habit is one that is 'easy' and 'satisfying'.

You can do it once, no matter how tired you are, right?

And that small sense of satisfaction from 'I did it today' inputs into your brain that 'this is a good thing'.

Repeating this builds the strongest habits.

The ultimate habit-building lies in 'gamification'

And the ultimate trick that I found most effective is 'tracking'.

Even if you only do one stretch or one squat, just put a 'circle' on your smartphone calendar or notebook. That's all.

This little 'circle' makes your efforts 'visible'.

When you see the 'circles' lining up on your calendar, don't you feel like you're getting a daily login bonus in a game, thinking, 'Oh, I'm keeping it up!'?

This feeling of 'I don't want to break the combo' becomes an incredibly powerful motivation.

What you must never forget here is that our primary goal is not 'to build muscle' or 'to lose weight'.

'To make the habit of taking care of yourself your own'.

That is the most reliable foundation for having an unshakable sense of self and living a rich, independent life.

Summary: Your own pace is the right answer for you

Feeling that exercise is a hassle was a sign that your heart was honestly telling you, 'That doesn't suit me right now.'

You don't need to blame yourself anymore.

The world won't change all at once.

But you were able to take care of yourself just a little bit more than you did yesterday.

That small step and the growing number of 'circles' on your calendar will surely support your future self.

Don't rush, don't compare.

Why not start a new habit of caring for yourself today, at your own comfortable pace?

[Key points of this article]

[References/Citations]

• Clear, James. (2018). Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones. Avery.

• Huberman, Andrew. Huberman Lab Podcast. Stanford University School of Medicine. https://hubermanlab.com/

• Aron, E. N. (2014). The highly sensitive brain: an fMRI study of sensory processing sensitivity and response to others' emotions. Brain and Behavior, 4(4), 580–594. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4086365/

• Jager, I., & Lichtwarck-Aschoff, A. (2020). Sensory Processing Sensitivity and Its Relation to Exercise Behavior and Preferred Exercise Intensity. Behavioral Sciences, 10(1), 18. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/10/1/18

• Sasaki, D., et al. (2018). The relationships among daily exercise, sensory-processing sensitivity, and depressive tendency in Japanese university students. Personality and Individual Differences, 129, 60-64. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0191886918300552

*Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not replace medical or professional advice. While we have taken great care with the information provided, we do not guarantee its accuracy or completeness. Please use your own judgment and take responsibility when putting this into practice.