Staying Physically Active as a Veteran

Veteran life is filled with challenges, and the sudden lifestyle change that comes from moving from active duty to civilian life can be difficult. Finding ways to stay active in veteran life is crucial, not only for helping transition between these different daily routines but also to ensure that veterans are continuing to tend to their own physical and mental health, all while navigating the challenges commonplace among veterans during this time. Embracing daily strategies to stay physically active can have many advantages for veterans, especially while pursuing personal treatment at Hawaii Island Recovery to overcome transition stress, survivor’s guilt, substance use, or other challenges that veterans face.

Veterans face a number of challenges in their transition to civilian life. For some, this transition can come with a major shift in culture and daily routine, compromising a feeling of belonging or normalcy. Coupled with vastly different life experiences compared to civilian peers, it is common for veterans to feel isolated during their shift to civilian life. Veterans may also continue to address traumatic experiences from their time on active duty or on base even after being successfully discharged which can have continued effects on veteran’s mental health.

Feelings of anxiety, depression, panic, and more are all common among veterans, and physical exercise can help to challenge these feelings, especially when used regularly in conjunction with regular treatment efforts, therapy, and spiritual healing at Hawaii Island Recovery. However, there are a number of other advantages of physical activity for veterans, including:

These physical outlets can also add a degree of normalcy and structure to daily life, all while having a myriad of benefits for veterans overcoming trauma, substance use, or processing difficult feelings and stresses throughout civilian life. 

Staying physically active is incredibly important for navigating the stresses of daily veteran life. However, each person will have their own best outlets and benefits for engaging in new activities. Not only can strategies for staying physically active vary in the actual outlet used, but they can also vary in intensity depending on a number of factors, including age, any chronic pains, personal interests, and more. Finding the strategy that works best for each individual is part of personalizing the most effective treatment and recovery efforts in veteran life. 

Simply getting outside can have many benefits for veterans navigating their recovery and daily life. Staying inside can lead to feeling stagnant or even trapped, both physically and mentally, accentuating feelings of boredom and even bringing additional and unnecessary feelings of anxiety, depression, and more. Thus, making an effort to get outside, even if simply going for a walk down the street or tending to a garden, can be the beginning of truly effective recovery practices in veteran life. Not only can it challenge devastating feelings of isolation, but also help to deconstruct physical and mental barriers and associated self-destructive thoughts and practices. 

Going for a hike can be the next step in embracing a healthier and more physically active lifestyle. Not only can hiking inform all of the benefits of getting outside, but it can further help veterans connect with nature and embrace spiritual healing. Combined with the natural healing and spiritual energies throughout treatment programs in Hawaii, hiking can bring new ways to address difficult feelings and promote healthier physical, emotional, and spiritual health. 

Sports are another way to encourage physical activity on a regular basis. Local leagues or pick-up games can be ways for veterans to get their bodies moving while also introducing veterans to new communities and people. It can be difficult to connect to others following veterans’ time in service, and local sports leagues can help scaffold new relationships based on these shared interests in civilian life. 

It is still possible for veterans to embrace a more physically active lifestyle even while indoors, ensuring that veterans can continue to benefit from such activity through their continued healing and treatment for overcoming trauma, mental health disorders, or substance use. Finding effective indoor activities can empower veterans to always take their own recovery into their own hands even during inclement weather or difficult seasons.

Having a space dedicated to physical activity can be essential. For many, this can be an indoor space to practice yoga, combining effective physical activity with spiritual and emotional healing and effective ways of processing stress. However, others may benefit from engaging with a light home gym. Having a dedicated space can empower veterans to utilize these advantages even while indoors as well as process stresses when they arise, bolstering their resilience and ability to prioritize a healthy daily life.

Being indoors can be comfortable, but even those staying inside can benefit from setting regular reminders to get up and move around. Simply walking around the house, going up and down stairs, and other simple activities can ensure that their bodies can move, stretch, and more throughout the day. Ensuring that each person is walking around each hour can further quell feelings of anxiety and depression while promoting a healthier approach to daily physical activities.

Staying physically active throughout veteran life is an important part of managing your mental, physical, and emotional health. Not only can it help quell urges and cravings, but it can also be instrumental in developing a structure in civilian life. At Hawaii Island Recovery, our dedicated treatment programs in Hawaii blend prevent therapeutic approaches and the natural advantages of the Hawaiian island, creating a unique approach to staying active while tending to personal needs and goals. This holistic approach to care can create a wholly transformational approach to recovery, with each step able to be personalized to your unique needs. For more information on how we can help you get active in veteran life, call us today at (866) 390-5070.