New Delhi: In today’s fast-paced world, couples struggle to find quality time with one another and take care of their health. At the same they also find the time to take care of their own physical well-being. Thereby, a simple and yet effective solution to their problems would be to exercise together.
In an interaction with News9Live, Dr Sreystha Beppari, Psychologist, Apollo Clinic, spoke about couple workouts and how they improve both physical and mental health.
When partners exercise together, side by side, they not only improve their hearts, but they also improve their relationship as well. Based on research and our own clinical experiences, shared physical activities with your partner can significantly enhance cardiovascular health and relationship satisfaction.
Strengthening the Heart Together
Exercising regularly can be one of the most effective ways to protect your heart health. By doing this, you improve your blood circulation, lower your blood pressure, have a better balance of cholesterol in your body, and lower your risk of developing cardiovascular disease. When couples participate in physical activities together (i.e., walking, running, biking, swimming, practicing yoga, and/or working out at the gym), they are generally more committed to keep going. Partners can keep each other motivated when they are tired or lack the willpower to do it on their own through mutual accountability.
Working out together also helps reduce stress hormones like cortisol, which have a direct effect on your cardiovascular health. Reducing your stress will also help reduce any additional strain on your cardiovascular system. In addition, when you have a routine with your partner, you often end up making other healthy lifestyle choices (e.g., sleeping better, eating better) and not relying on unhealthy coping methods (e.g., smoking or drinking excessively).
Exercise and Emotional Chemistry
Dopamine, endorphins, and serotonin are brain chemicals that help create happiness, togetherness, and mental well-being when we are physically active. When we are physically engaged with our partners, we will begin to associate these pleasurable, bonding, and positive emotions with our relationship over time. This association creates closeness and emotional satisfaction.
Additionally, having common experiences by exercising together provides an emotional bond for the couple. Encouragement from one another while exercising, celebrating goals or other small victories, and laughing at the same time during a strenuous fitness routine gives each partner an emotional depth within the relationship that builds a foundation of trust and companionship.
Improved Communication and Teamwork
Teamwork is fostered by partner-based exercises. Exercising with your partner encourages the development of this teamwork. By working towards mutual goals and coordinating your schedules, you both learn how to work within the physical limits of your partner and adapt accordingly. This teamwork often flows into many areas outside of your relationship. When you exercise together, you learn how to communicate with each other in an open and respectful manner; exercising promotes active listening and patience while regulating emotions.
In addition, engaging in exercise creates a non-confrontational environment for discussing your relationship. Walking or cycling alongside one another makes the dialogue seem less intimidating and more manageable than sitting and talking at home. Many partners feel that they are better able to resolve an issue when one is exercising.
Development of mutual respect & empathy
When your partner demonstrates a commitment to their health, it can increase your admiration and respect for them. Effort, commitment, and self-discipline are very appealing qualities. Therefore, when you and your partner exercise together, there is an opportunity to witness each other’s perseverance and vulnerability, which fosters empathy rather than criticism.
The shared experience of committing to physical activity over time will lower incidences of conflict about body image, anxiety, or different lifestyles. When you exercise together, you and your partner feel more united in saying, “We are doing this together,” rather than putting pressure, blame, or accusations on one another.
Intimacy beyond exercise
Exercising boosts confidence, increases your overall energy, and makes you feel much better emotionally. All three factors have a positive impact on intimacy between partners. Couples who work out regularly report higher levels of sexual satisfaction and greater emotional intimacy. Having a strong body and feeling connected as a couple will create an ideal setting for intimacy to flourish.
How to make it work in the long term
To sustain such activities for the long term, it is important to choose activities both partners enjoy doing together and ensure everyone’s expectations are realistic. Remember that you’re trying to build intimacy, not compete with each other. Trying to do 20–30 minutes of moving together, just a couple of days each week, can have a tremendous impact. Doing something consistently (no matter how intense) is much more important than the total amount of time you are doing it.
Working out as a couple isn’t only about getting in shape; it is about building your relationship, too! Exercising together can help strengthen your physical heart (by lowering your risk of heart disease) and your emotional heart (by developing a stronger connection, commitment, and respect for each other). Today, many couples tend to be pulled apart by life’s demands; however, by exercising together, couples may develop a stronger foundation on which to continue their relationships (both emotionally and physically). At times, it’s the little acts that mean the most to us. Therefore, when two people share memorable experiences while doing something that they both enjoy, this creates a great bond in their relationship.