Reduce Stress with Exercise

It’s well known that exercise can help to relieve and alleviate stress. By being more active you not only boost ‘feel good’ endorphin’s, but you also forget about the cause of your stress in the first place.

Obviously exercise is good for us. But today’s busy lifestyles sometimes do not allow us to exercise on a regular basis. If you feel you’re too busy or stressed to fit exercise into your life, there is good news my friend…….

Pretty much any type and form of exercise is a stress reliever. Don’t worry if you are not in great athletic shape, the exercise you do can still make exercise work as a stress reliever. Try to find the right balance and your stress levels will start to decrease.

While exercise is so great for your health, it also increases your energy levels and puts a spring in your step. Here are a few stress busting benefits:

Exercise produces endorphin’s

Exercise ramps up your production of your brains feel good neurotransmitters, also known more simply as endorphin’s. This feel good by product of exercise is a great way to de-stress.

It doubles up as meditation

As you are releasing your tensions by running around playing tennis or football, the singular focus during the game is a fantastic form of meditation and can help you to remain calm throughout.

You feel happier

Not only does exercise increase self confidence and help you relax, it’s also proven to lower the symptoms associated with mild depression and anxiety. You will also sleep sounder which in turn will decrease stress levels. All of these benefits will help lead to a less stressful, greater quality of life.

Set goals are targets to increase your activity levels. By doing this you are setting yourself up for success and are more likely to stick to the plan. Here are a few tips on how you can stick to your new, stress relieving, exercise plan:

Ooo Friends:

If you know somebody is waiting for you at the gym this can work as a powerful incentive. By working out with either a friend, co-worker or family member brings a whole new level of commitment to the table, either by pushing each other during workouts or by not wanting to let them down by not showing up for a workout.

Mix it up:

Don’t always do the same exercises. Try new forms. If you run a lot, try some yoga. Or if you lift heavy weights, try swimming. There are endless ways to keep fit and healthy, and this also prevents any boredom kicking in.

Exercise in stages:

If you really are rushed for time and can’t fit in a 30 minute workout, try doing 3 x 10 minutes workouts during the day. Or even try interval training involving a 40 second period of work followed by 20 seconds of rest, repeated 15-20 times. These are great, safe, time efficient ways of getting some exercise in during the day.

At the end of the day, please don’t think of exercise as something on your check list that needs to be ticked off. Find an activity you really enjoy and love, and your stress levels will definitely decrease. Any form of physical activity is a great stress reliever and will benefit you tremendously if you are feeling the strain a bit. Stay strong!!