Soap Hub Wellness Wednesday: GH’s Jon Lindstrom Thinks it Over

As Ryan Chamberlin, Jon Lindstrom had some challenging days on General Hospital. He’d be called to either remain nearly motionless as Ryan or perform some physical acts during Ryan’s reign of terror. The actor, who also plays Dr. Kevin Collins, spoke to Soap Hub about how he unwinds when work demands physical and mental challenges.

Jon Lindstrom: Blue Skies

“I’m kind of old school,” Lindstrom says when asked about what he does to unwind and get the blood pumping. “I still go to a gym and do some cardio and lift some iron and work it off that way. I like to stretch. That helps a lot. The one thing I’ve gotten into lately is hiking. I love to get out two or three times a week and get in a few miles.”

Lindstrom says that sunny Southern California offers him a climate where he can do some great walks “somewhere outdoors. Just to breathe some air and look at trees or a body of water and work up my cardio that way.”

Hiking Is Fun With Friends

Lindstrom varies his walks — from where he goes to whom he goes with. “I might go with a friend, or I might go with [my wife] Cady [McClain, who recurs as Jennifer on Days of our Lives]. I’ll do it alone, too. I like the solitary time. It’s a good time to work out a story problem that I was working on in my head.” (Lindstrom’s working on his first novel.)

Jon Lindstrom: Just Breathe

Lindstrom’s not a doctor — but he plays one on TV (Soap Hub recommends talking to your doctor before embarking on a new fitness journey). Does he have any advice for folks wanting to bring more wellness into their lives? “Breathe,” he says. “Sit quietly. Shut your eyes and breathe and just listen to your body. I do that. Some people call it meditating. I call it just sitting in the quiet and letting your body calm itself.

“David Lynch [director, Twin Peaks; Blue Velvet] feels that the world would be just fine if people would meditate for 20 minutes a day,” Lindstrom notes. “I think it’s a great, peaceful benefit to taking a breath for yourself every day.”