How Exercise Can Ease Your Stress
With the holidays around the corner, it’s that time of the year when life start’s to become overwhelmingly stressful. Work becoming busier, students studying for their finals, or exhaustion could be one the reasons why you’re feeling stressed. Stress is “a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances”. When stress affects the brain, the rest of the body feels the impact as well. If your body feels better, so does your mind.
Your body plays a bigger role in your mental health than you might think. Exercise, in many ways, can be a remedy when it comes to your mental outlook. Notice the sense of ease and positivity you feel immediately after your workout. Exercise helps produce endorphins which are chemicals in the brain that act as a natural painkiller. Endorphins help trigger a positive feeling in the body that will help reduce stress, anxiety, and feelings of depression. If you suffer from depression or anxiety, your workout can play a key role in managing your symptoms, thanks to the powerful link between your physical and mental health. Studies show that it is very effective at reducing fatigue, improving alertness and concentration, and at enhancing overall cognitive function. This can be especially helpful when stress has depleted your energy or ability to concentrate.
It has been found that regular bouts of aerobic exercise can decrease overall levels of tension, elevate and stabilize mood, improve sleep, and improve self-esteem. About five minutes of aerobic exercise can begin to stimulate anti-anxiety effects.
Recently I’ve found myself under a large amount stress, and felt my quality of life slowly starting to deteriorate due to the fact that I found myself giving myself into that stress. Normally I make it a goal to exercise at least 3 times a week, because I personally become extremely anxious and stressed without performing some sort of physically activity, but when I find myself already under an insurmountable amount of stress, cognitively I cannot function, nor do I have an appetite. I completely shut down mentally and physically! I have to slowly help myself back into a working state through low-intensity to moderate exercise. We all have our own exercise-niches, but for me, three things that help me ease my stress are
Walking
Hiking
Running
I would rather conquer a hill-climb outside than be inside aerobically exercising. Even if it’s cold and wet, or the middle of winter, outdoors is the right environment for me. I feel a sense of clarity and calmness. I also feel as if I could take on the world! I only spend about 30-45 minutes performing any of these activities, but yet it means the world to my mental health. Eventually, I return to hitting the weight-room and the world doesn’t seem as grim as it did when I was stressed!
If you are stressed, I recommend finding the right exercise-niche for you. Running or hiking may not be for you, but something like yoga might work out better for you. Everyone responds differently to different types of exercise, but I bet you will find your own form of exercise that helps you relieve your stresses!!