Stress Less, Move More

What if the best medicine you take this week doesn’t come in a bottle, a supplement, a perfectly periodized strength program, or a color-coded workout app… but from simply moving your body the way it was designed to move?

In this week’s episode of Ending Physician Overwhelm, we’re looking at rhythmic movement — walking, running, swimming, biking, anything repetitive and steady — and why it is one of the most powerful, accessible stress-reducers we have.

And yes… we’re talking real stress reduction.
Not “go for a walk because it’s good for you.”
Not “steps are important.”
We’re talking:

✨ Actual telomere protection
✨ Improved cellular resilience
✨ Better cognitive processing & creativity
✨ Nervous system regulation
✨ The kind of mental clarity you cannot get staring at a computer

If you’ve ever wondered why your best thinking happens on a walk (and never while screaming at your inbox), this episode breaks it all down.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why rhythmic movement has measurable effects on telomerase and telomere length
The Telomere Effect highlights two specific kinds of exercise that protect your DNA: moderate aerobic movement and HIIT. The surprise? Strength training did not have the same effect — which doesn’t mean “don’t lift,” it just means rhythmic movement deserves its own spotlight.

• Movement as meditation (even if you’re listening to a podcast or audiobook)
Your brain needs space to think its own thoughts — unstructured, uninterrupted time that no number of productivity apps can replicate. Rhythmic movement is one of the easiest ways to access that state.

• Why physicians need mindful motion more than ever
Between the broken healthcare system, endless inbox escalation, and policy shifts that directly impact our patients… our bodies are absorbing far more stress than we realize. Movement helps metabolize what can’t be solved.

• How rhythmic movement stimulates autophagy & cellular cleanup
When you move rhythmically, you activate AMPK and other repair pathways that make your cells more efficient, more resilient, and frankly… younger.

• Practical, zero-perfection ways to start
You don’t need to run. You don’t need to sweat. You don’t need special leggings.
You need:
10 minutes.
A door.
Your body.
Repeat.

If you’re following the 10-Week Stress Reduction Challenge…

Here’s where we are:
Week 1 → Yoga Nidra
Week 2 → Greens
Week 3 → Breath
Week 4 → Sleep
Week 5 → Laughter + Play
Week 6 → Berries
Week 7 → Rhythmic Movement

Layer this on top of your other practices — gently, imperfectly.
Every little nudge you give your nervous system matters.

Resources Mentioned

• The Telomere Effect — available through Megan’s Bookshop.org page (not Amazon 🙏): https://bookshop.org/shop/meganmelo
• Episode 200 — Kickoff for the 10-Week Recharge C