Tamera Mowry-Housley, 42, has recently said that exercising during the ongoing pandemic has made her feel much better, physically as well as mentally.

Last week, she said, “Exercise and moving my body really helped me mentally once the pandemic was upon us.” She is teaming up with Zumba to encourage people to make time for a physical and mental break.

Mowry-Housley revealed that she had to deal with “a lot of stress and anxiety” during the pandemic and said that staying fit boosted her mental health.

She told PEOPLE, “When we all had to be quarantined for so long, I really discovered the importance of diving back into exercising now that I had the time.”

The mother of two decided not to take any of her newfound time for granted. She said, “I’m a huge believer in making lemonade out of lemons, so I wanted to use the time wisely. I discovered that when I worked out and when I moved my body, I felt better. I felt better about myself — not only physically but mentally.”

The Sister, Sister actress said she has enjoyed Zumba for 10 years, which helped her to stay fit and engaged.

“What I love about Zumba is that, for me, I can get bored really quickly with an exercise routine regimen,” she said. “So doing Zumba, it’s kind of like a sneaky workout. It’s dance, it’s fun.”

“The moment you hear the music, you hear the beats, you hear the drums, you can’t help but to move your hips a bit,” she continued. “You feel good, you feel uplifted and it gives you the energy that you need to have throughout the day.”

Mowry-Housley, however, is aware of the fact that exercise is only one component of mental health so she encourages people with mental health issues to seek help.

She said, “If you’re really struggling, it’s okay to talk about it. You are not weak, you’re actually the opposite. You are strong.” “Don’t believe that negative voice that this is something that you have to keep inside,” she continued. “Talk to someone that you trust and make sure you have a support group that is going to be there for you.”