Exercise
By Mercy Osajiugo
Lapai (Niger), May 31, 2018 (NAN) A don, Dr Mathew Salomi, on Thursday, recommended exercise and recreation as panacea for bereaved people to stay out of grief and forge ahead in life.
Salomi, a lecturer, with the Department of Physical and Health Education, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, Niger, gave this hint in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
He urged widows and widowers to regularly engage in exercise, saying it would help distract them from the trauma of losing their loved ones.
“Daily exercise is necessary for everybody’s general wellbeing irrespective of age or status.
“Exercise and recreation are a coping strategy that a bereaved person needs to be able to rewind and forge ahead in life.
“The worse-hit are the widows and widowers, who are still in their prime, and grief has taken its toll completely on some of them.
“You see instances when couples die one after the other in a short space because of psychological trauma and loneliness.
“This should not be, when there are a lot of indoor and outdoor games,’’ the don said.
According to Salomi, exercise and recreation will in no small measure help to purge them of anxiety, stress and ease their shattered life.
He stressed that it was during exercise and recreation that the bereaved could really recuperate socially, emotionally, psychologically and even spiritually.
“Many have died because they lacked proper counselling and guidance on recreation and exercise.
“This is important for the general wellbeing, and will help to nip a lot of health challenges in the bud, especially grief for the dead,’’ he said.
He called on relatives of the bereaved, influential individuals, religious bodies, NGOs and government at the three tiers to empower their bereaved people.
Salomi noted that this gesture could also safeguard the society from the crime that could emanate from the waywardness of uncared-for children of the grieving ones. (NAN)
MNO/MOL/YEMI
Edited by Mustapha Lamidi/Yemi Idris-Aduloju