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If you read anything about stress management, you are likely to find information about exercise. According to the Mayo Clinic, regular exercise can decrease tension, raise your mood, improve your sleep, increase your focus, and help you feel better overall. Exercise can also help prevent injuries on the farm by reducing your risk of muscle pulls and strains and increasing your balance.
When I talk with farmers about exercise, sometimes they look at me in shock. “I work hard all day—my whole day is exercise!” is something I hear a lot. Of course, this is true…but working hard is not the same as strengthening all the muscles of your body, or stretching to keep limber, and it is not always aerobic (exercising your heart).
So, to reduce your stress and help prevent injuries, think about three kinds of moving*:
- Stretching
- Aerobic exercise
- Strengthening exercise
Stretching increases your flexibility and decreases that uncomfortable feeling you get after long hours in the tractor or truck. Simple stretches take 5 to 10 minutes and are very easy to do. Check out these stretches designed for farmers from The Daily Scoop at https://www.thedailyscoop.com/news/crops/planting/6-stretches-and-exercises-power-your-planting-season
Aerobic exercise is anything that gets and keeps your heart rate up. It can be as simple as a brisk walk for 10-15 minutes (maybe walking your dog?)—which is also a really good way to clear your mind. Jogging, biking, even dancing, are also good aerobic activities.
Strengthening exercises use weight, like hand-held weights or your own body weight (a push up or sit up) to strengthen your muscles. They help keep your muscles and bones strong, make your joints more flexible (great for people with some symptoms of arthritis), help keep your weight down, and improve your balance. Here are examples of some “farm fit” exercises https://www.hobbyfarms.com/stay-farm-fit-with-these-workout-exercises/ https://farmerhealth.org.au/2014/01/21/farmer-fitness
You can do any of these—stretching, aerobics, strengthening—in 10-15 minutes. Most of them you can do while you’re out on the farm. They’ll keep you limber, stronger, less stressed, and help you thrive on your farm.
*Before you start any new exercise or stretching, be sure to talk with your doctor.
