“I just like doing NIA. What does that have to do with mental health?”

A student asked me that recently. Good question! I replied that mindfulness boosts mental health, and through the end of March 2023, my classes build mindfulness through body awareness, so we can better sense what is happening in our bodies right now.

All true. But I have more to say. You probably already know that exercise is good for your mental health (see this new report on exercise and mental health). Now some things you may not know:

Joy has a lot to do with mental health.

The ability to feel joy and sustain that feeling is part of good mental health.

When our mental health is compromised (and whose isn’t, sometimes?), we gravitate toward negative states of mind. This creates neural pathways that reinforce our ability to feel that way. Our brains get good at feeling bad - and unfortunately, bad at feeling good.

The pleasure center of the brain needs to be actively used and challenged in order to function well. Think of it as a muscle. It needs exercise to get stronger.

Life is filled with opportunities to feel sad, anxious, angry, frustrated, depressed, discouraged, etc. Those feelings should be felt too. I am not advocating denial. But do not neglect the high end of your emotional spectrum. If you wait till things are “better” to feel joy, your brain may forget how. Feeling joy on a regular basis helps you feel it more deeply and sustain it for longer - improving your mental health right now and readying you for more happiness in the future.

NIA is designed to create joy!

It is no accident that you enjoy NIA. NIA was designed by very smart people with the deliberate intent to give you joy.

The founders of NIA, back in t1983, rebelled against the “no pain, no gain” philosophy that dominated the fitness industry at the time (and still does). They believed movement ought to feel good. So they created NIA, a low-impact, pleasure-based movement practice that uplifts the whole person - body, mind, emotions and spirit. With its beautiful music, expressive movements, and emphasis on freedom and play, NIA was designed specifically to create a feeling called Joy of Movement.

So, NIA is more than just a fun workout. It actually builds your capacity to feel and sustain joy - which is a big part of good mental health.

Next time you take class, notice how you feel afterwards. Do you feel the “Post-NIA Glow?” What effect does it have on you, internally? How long does it last for you afterwards? Tell me! I’m interested!