Since the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis, more and more virtual opportunities have presented themselves from work from home jobs to online socials. One of the most popular virtual activities is virtual fitness. Joining an online exercise group offers a lot of benefits, many of which can reduce loneliness by bringing social interaction into your life without a high risk of catching the coronavirus.
Humans are social animals and quarantine can go against our natural motivations. The impact on physical and mental health can be drastic and make us feel alone. Staying home may also get us stuck in a rut without interacting with friends, neighbors, family members, or coworkers. You may be wondering why loneliness is a big deal, so it is important to examine what loneliness is and the effects of being lonely for a prolonged length of time.
What is Loneliness?
Loneliness is generally thought of as solitude and being alone, but it is also a perspective and mental state because if you feel lonely, then you are lonely even if there are other people around. Being occasionally lonely is inevitable for most people, but long-term loneliness can cause some negative health issues.
Loneliness can cause someone to feel alone without purpose or pleasure. This may also contribute to a craving for contact with other people. Additionally, loneliness can lead to increased isolation and even contribute to worsened social skills, poor self-esteem, and introversion.
There is also a link between loneliness and depression. Sometimes it can be hard to stay optimistic about the future when you are alone most of the time and you may begin to feel hopeless without a strong support system. Higher rates of loneliness correlate with physical ailments as well.
You may be interested in learning more about the signs of loneliness, how to build a strong network of social connections, and other information. BetterHelp has tons of great articles and other resources that you may find helpful for coping or gaining knowledge about mental health and loneliness.
There are a lot of causes for loneliness, but the pandemic has pushed isolation into our lives and the change was sudden. Good thing we have virtual options for social interaction including virtual exercise classes that can offer a lot of benefits.
What are the Benefits of Virtual Fitness for Loneliness?
While evidence shows that in-person interaction is important and that online social activities do not benefit mental health at the same level, it is a good alternative during a pandemic. Research suggests that virtual interaction can be great for mental health during quarantine or isolation. But how can virtual fitness help specifically with being lonely?
Social Interaction
Social interaction is necessary for good mental health and when we are unable to visit people in person, virtual fitness can help to bring socialization back into our life. Even though it may not be the same as in-person interactions, virtual fitness does allow us to talk to other people, cheer them on, focus on fitness goals, and develop bonds that can help us feel less lonely. Social interaction can boost mood as well, which may have a positive impact on how isolated and alone we feel.
Support Network
Having a support network to support your goals, challenges, and outlook is important. While it may take some time to grow strong support systems in a virtual fitness class, attending regularly can help us get to know people that we can then turn to when we are struggling with something in our life. They can help us stay on track with fitness goals of course, but they can also go beyond that, and they can help with other problems like stress, work, relationships, and more.
Exercise
The exercise that you can get with virtual fitness can also be great for your mood and mental health. Research shows that exercise can reduce anxiety and depression, which can help to ease the loneliness that you feel. Plus, an online fitness group may keep you accountable so that you don’t skip days or get off track when it comes to your fitness goals.
Conclusion
Joining a virtual fitness group or class can be great for reducing your sense of loneliness. It may take time to find a group that works for you and will also take time to build connections with other members but taking live virtual fitness classes can help you attain the socialization you crave.