The world is stressful, and whether stress is from work, spouse/significant other, kids or a combination of things, everyone needs some form of relief. Ideally, stress relief comes from something constructive and healthy, such as exercise. In fact, according to mayoclinic.com, exercise increases your overall health and well-being by increasing self-confidence and lowering symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Running
Running is one of the best stress-relief exercises. It is so commonly used as stress relief that the feeling many people get after a good run has become a common term, known as "runner's high." This feeling comes from increased "feel-good" neurotransmitter called endorphins. Many people find that they also reduce stress because they simply focus on the run, rather than the day's stresses.
Yoga
Yoga is another excellent stress-relieving exercise. The slow-moving poses help release built-up tension and stress in the muscles. People often have mental stress manifested physically in muscle tightness. Many styles of yoga focus on flexibility, particularly where people hold these stresses. The deep, slow breathing also helps quiet the mind, further reducing stress.
Boxing
Boxing and kickboxing are a faster-paced and completely different theory on stress relief. Yoga focuses on the mind-body connection and self-awareness, but boxing and kickboxing allow one to relieve stress by with physical interaction, without hurting anyone.
Weight Training
Weight training allows one to externalize stress by pushing or pulling weights. This forces large amounts of muscles to work simultaneously, increasing blood and oxygen flow throughout the body. Weight training also helps improve physical appearance; that helps improve self-esteem, which improves mood.
