By Manaal Shaikh
in 
Wikipedia defines active living as “a lifestyle that integrates physical activity into everyday routines”. When I say active living, I do not mean burning 5000 calories a day or lifting weights at the gym every week. We often associate an active lifestyle with having exercise programs and curated routines, but that is far from the case. Active living is simply incorporating physical activity in your la vie quotidienne. When you are capable of it, moving your body can have immediate and long-term health benefits, physical as well as mental. You should try considering it as a form of self-care, rather than a medical obligation.
Activity, like drugs of abuse, releases neurotransmitters such as endorphins and dopamine, which are involved with a sense of reward. These endogenous opioids cause glee and have an antidepressant effect. Researchers at Tufts University propose that an active lifestyle “could be a substitute drug for human heroin and morphine addicts”. It has also proven to be the best coping mechanism for the bereaved and a form of therapy in general. They say mind and body are metaphors, so a healthy outside is a result of a healthy inside. Being active raises your confidence and self-esteem, improves working memory, and caters to your cognitive function, unleashing your creativity.
The thing I find the most fascinating is that having an active lifestyle is quite similar to being busy. Keeping yourself occupied with chores where you are required to move around can be the best example. Moreover, a busy social life means a more active lifestyle. Everything from bowling and golf to ping pong or tennis are fun ways to stay in shape. Taking dance classes or going for walks in the neighborhood will certainly uplift your mood and health. Getting out in your community and volunteering for a cause you believe in is a fantastic way to stay active. Why make it tedious when it is merrymaking? So as to say, active living is the best form of leisure!
**This blog and all its content, including images, are submitted by students under the Youth Voices Fellowship.**