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Importance of Physical Wellness in Recovery

Some of the best ways to maintain your physical wellness are to get enough sleep, be active, maintain a balanced diet, and attend therapy if needed.

What is Physical Wellness?

Overcoming addiction doesn’t stop at detox; full recovery also encompasses taking measures to ensure you sustain your abstinence. Being in recovery means you desire to lead a life of sobriety and enhance the quality of your life and that of your loved ones.


There are many ways to sustain your recovery, including physical exercise and eating a balanced diet. Staying active enhances your general and physical wellbeing by reducing anxiety and high blood pressure and improving sleep quality. In addition, eating a balanced diet and getting adequate sleep plays another critical role in your physical wellness, as they form the basis for stress relief and better performance. Experts agree that your recovery and wellness go hand in hand.1

Physical Wellness

Physical Wellness and Mental Health

Your mental health is impacted by how you keep your body active. Maintaining physical wellness might be challenging at first, but is important overall for your wellbeing and recovery from addiction. Physical wellness and recovery activities can help reduce stress and disease risk and amplify your energy levels.2

Your physical wellness goal, among others, is to lead to the best quality of your life and sustain your recovery from substance and alcohol use disorder. 

What Helps With Physical Wellness?

Physical wellness is not something you sit back and wait for; you have to work towards achieving it. In order to do this, you have to adhere to routines involving physical activities and strictly follow your treatment plan.


A report by the National Health Service has proven that exercising lowers your chances of premature death by 30%. Further, it continues to explain that exercise reduces your risk of stroke and coronary heart disease by up to 35%.

Tips to Improving Physical Wellness

You can foster physical wellness by:3

  • Creating time to move your body and exercising. You don’t need an Olympic-size gym, making sure your inactive times are few and far apart.
  • Drinking plenty of water, especially during medical detox and also when you are undergoing withdrawal.
  • Use the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator, if possible.
  • Learning to recognize warning signs when your body begins feeling ill and seeking the correct kind of health interventions for your body and mind.
  • Eating healthy foods that make you feel good and nourish your body.
  • You may need to sleep for the recommended eight hours at regular times.

What Is Included in Physical Wellness?

Your whole body needs to be involved in activities that enhance your physical wellness and recovery. The physical dimension of wellness encourages you to be involved in activities that promote flexibility, strength, endurance, and knowledge about good nutrition.

How Does Exercise Impact Your Body?

23% of adults who met physical activity for aerobics showed improvement in muscle strength.


Scientists at the Centers for Disease Control recently reported that regular exercise helps your body in the following ways:4

  • Accomplishing cardiovascular endurance, which helps strengthen your heart
  • Building bone and muscular strength
  • Building muscular endurance for better and longer performance
  • Flexibility, which makes it possible for better motor functions
  • Body composition

Importance of Physical Wellness in Recovery

During recovery, you may find that some days are harder than others, and physical wellness and exercise can help distract you from cravings or other physical symptoms of withdrawal or recovery.

 
If you are already in recovery, you may find that your treatment plan, besides the medication and psychotherapy, also includes regular physical wellness dimensions such as:

  • A healthy environment
  • A healthy balanced diet
  • Exercise and addiction recovery activities

It is also crucial to involve yourself in recovery activities for substance abuse, such as walking instead of watching tv for hours. Cardiovascular and muscle-building activities such as weightlifting can also help with keeping your body and mind occupied and healthy.

How Does Physical Activity Affect Wellness?

Physical activity affects your wellness by impacting your overall health, well-being, and quality of life. Physical activity can help you feel and perform better. Your sleep, energy levels, and focus are better when you carry out physical activities.

 
Physical activities and recovery activities for substance abuse help your body by:

  • Lowering your blood pressure
  • Boosting your immunity
  • Increasing your levels of good cholesterol
  • Improving blood flow (circulation)
  • Keeping your weight under control
  • Building your bone health

How Does Physical Wellness Help in Addiction Recovery?

It’s a good idea to observe your physical wellness because this type of recovery gives you better results. During your recovery journey, some of the wellness and recovery activities, including exercising, can help your substance abuse disorder by:

  • Easing the withdrawal symptoms you may be experiencing at the beginning of treatment
  • Helping your mind work better
  • Being able to improve your focus and concentration
  • Curbing cravings
  • Boosting your self-esteem
  • Reducing anxiety and any other mental health issues you may have acquired together with the substance abuse disorder. 

Can Exercise Be A Standalone Treatment For Addiction?

When you exercise and use other forms of substance abuse disorder treatment, these exercises may positively affect your recovery. You will likely fully recover sooner if you exercise regularly, take your medications, and attend therapy sessions, all of which may introduce you to several activities for recovering addicts.

So, does exercise help detox drugs? While it doesn’t help the body detox drugs entirely, it can help in a big way. Exercise makes you sweat, which can be a fantastic way to rid your body of addictive substances. 

Exercise’s Impact on Addiction and Withdrawal

Another thing to think about is if exercise helps with alcohol withdrawal. Exercising helps your mind and body stay busy and helps you to not think about alcohol when the cravings kick in, but it shouldn’t stop there.

Exercising does not mean you can stop other medical and therapeutic interventions for your recovery, as it is only a way to help aid in keeping your brain and body healthy. It can be a great way to encourage your own recovery.5

When Is Exercise Encouraged In Addiction Recovery?

Exercise is offered in most rehabilitation facilities as part of their treatment plan. When you replace the time you may spend drinking or using substances with exercise, you can develop a healthy lifestyle with significant health and mental benefits.


You can make friends during the exercise sessions and improve your social life as well, which can often deteriorate when you have a substance use disorder. In addition, exercise during medication-assisted therapy and withdrawal may help you feel stronger and motivated during addiction and recovery treatment. 

Benefits of Physical Wellness During Addiction Treatment

Studies show a greater than 50% chance of relapsing on illicit opioids just one month after discontinuing treatment with buprenorphine-naloxone alone. However, physical wellness can help combat this. Physical activity and exercise during addiction treatment assist by:

  • Preventing relapse
  • Managing withdrawal symptoms
  • Decreasing drug-seeking behavior
  • Improving sleep patterns and overall mood
  • Developing a sense of structure and routine

Get Help with Physical Wellness for Recovery at Anew Treatment Center

At Anew Treatment Center, we can aid in your recovery process by helping integrate physical wellness into your treatment plan. Our physical wellness recovery program is just what you need to recover fully.


Contact our professional team at Anew Treatment Center for a complete and faster recovery. You will receive support every step of the way during the process. 

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Our team is ready to discuss your treatment options with you. Your call is confidential with no obligation is required.