Anupam Kher calls working out his meditation: ‘Tiny new muscles mushrooming’

Anupam Kher, the 71-year-old actor, has likened working out to a form of meditation. In a post on Instagram, the veteran shared a video of himself engaging in strength training, captioning it "The joy of seeing tiny new muscles mushrooming!🥹 For me, working out is meditation!! A small triumph of the human spirit. Any age, any stage. Jai Ho!"

According to Dr. M Narayana Swamy, Director of Neurosurgery at PSRI Hospital, exercise is beneficial not just for heart health and weight management, but also for brain health. Regular physical activity increases blood flow to the brain, enhancing memory, focus, and overall cognitive function. Even simple activities like brisk walking for 30 minutes a day can yield long-term benefits for brain health, the expert tells indianexpress.com.

Dr. Shweta Sharma, a clinical psychologist and founder of Mansa Global Foundation for Mental Health, adds that working out can help reduce overthinking, which often leads to anxiety. When the body and mind are occupied with productive activities, overthinking naturally decreases due to distraction. Exercise also helps the body release endorphins, the 'feel-good' chemicals that can combat chronic anxiety and its symptoms.

Furthermore, it helps control the release of stress hormones like cortisol, which, when present in high amounts, can exacerbate anxiety. However, Dr. Sharma cautions against pushing anxious individuals into intense workouts or expecting them to achieve high fitness goals, as this could potentially exacerbate their anxiety.